Wake Up Forks
by Pirinitete
Summary: Bella was adopted, but when her parents die after a tragic accident, she is sent to live with her biological father. She enters a town filled with Jocks, Cheerleaders, and lots of yummy boys. Join Bella as she uses everything her adoptive parents taught her to turn the school upside down. Welcome to a story that embraces every stereotype. All Human & Drabble Fic
1. Chapter 1

**AN; WARNING! This is a drabble fic, which means lots of _short _chapters. You've been warned. With that said, enjoy :)**

He won't stop staring at me. I've been here for three hours now, and he's only spoken exactly three words to me. "Hi. Isabella? Charlie." After that he wordlessly showed me around my new 'home,' all the while stealing not-so-covert glances at me. Now we were sitting across from each other at the table.

I can understand his demeanour towards me. He's known about me for twenty seven hours.

I am his long lost daughter.

My biological mother left him after she found out she was pregnant with me, and then she put me up for adoption. While I've always known that I was adopted, he never even knew I existed.

"Do you like your room?" That's the most he's ever said to me.

I nod, taking in his deep gravelly voice. It matches his lightly tanned skin, dark brown hair and thick moustache. He's my biological father, but apart from the hair, we look nothing alike.

"You can change it if you like…"

He's trying. I know that I should respond, but I find my mouth staying shut. I don't know this man, yet I'm expected to live with him?

Don't get me wrong, I'm more than grateful. If he hadn't of decided to take me in, I would've been thrown into the system. I would've been stuck at some girls home for a year until I'm legally old enough to be on my own.

"Purple is my favourite colour," I say, deciding to meet him halfway.

He smiles. It makes him look ten years younger despite the small crinkles at the corners of his eyes. "The lady at the store picked it out."

The only purple thing in my room is a comforter. It's nice. My room is small and plain, with bare walls, a closet and a desk. I like it.

"Do you want to go shopping? You didn't bring much stuff," he says.

He only knows that my parents are dead, not how. "That's all that's left of my things," I state. I should tell him why, but I don't think I can talk about that yet.

"Oh… Well, I'll take you to Port Angeles after school tomorrow." He doesn't look too thrilled about having to do that.

School. Tomorrow. _Great._

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**Yeah, I don't know what to say. I probably shouldn't be starting a new story, but this one just wouldn't leave me alone. **


	2. Chapter 2

Everyone's staring at me. I'm pretty sick of being stared at. I'd thought it was bad last night with Charlie, but that's nothing compared to three hundred pairs of eyes following my every movement.

I make my way to the office ignoring the probing eyes. I'm used to being stared at, but seriously, that's ridiculous.

In the confines of the office, the only staring comes from the elderly receptionist with startling red hair and purple glasses. Nice. "Hello dear, how can I help you?"

"I'm, uh… new?" I say, as eloquent as ever.

Her eyes pop and her eyebrows rise. "Oh, right. Isabella Swan. The chief rang yesterday."

The chief? Oh yeah… Charlie's the Chief of Police of this small dreary town.

She moves around papers on the cluttered desk. "Here's your schedule and map."

I take the offered papers, immediately dismissing the map. On the short walk here I saw about a thousand signs. If the rest of the school is like that, I doubt that I'll get lost. "Thanks," I mumble.

I'm right. I follow the trail of breadcrumbs to my homeroom class.

Wow. The bell had only rung about four seconds ago, and everyone's already in their seats. What kind of alternate universe did I step into where kids are on time to class?

"Miss Swan, I take it?" A man asks. He's wearing a tweed coat with black patched over the elbows and thick black rimmed glasses. I guess that he's the teacher. My powers of deduction know no bounds.

I look around the class to see twenty pairs of eyes staring at me.

"Miss Swan?"

This class is filled with just about every stereotype you can think of. Nerd, punk, bimbo, jock…

"Miss Swan!" The teacher snaps.

"Oh huh?" It's not my fault. That was the first time someone's directly used that name for me.

"I'm Mr. Baker. Now please take a seat," he huffs, his annoyance was obvious.

The class breaks out in sniggers.

By the time I get settled in the only seat left, the bell rings.


	3. Chapter 3

I sit down next to a girl with cute glasses for Calculus. She smiles at me a bit hesitantly. "Hi, I'm Angela. Isabella, right?"

This is my chance, the pivotal moment of my high school career. Do I stick with my name? Or do I go with something different. A new place and a new 'family' deserve a new name. Isa, Izzy, Bell, or… Bella?

"Just Bella," I say. There. Isabella Yang is dead. Long live Bella Swan!

Unaware of my internal triumph Angela smiles, "Nice to meet you."

The teacher walks in then, and I promptly zone out after realizing he's covering material I'd already done at my last school.

At the end of class Angela walks with me to History since she has that next as well. "So, where are you from?"

I think about making something up, but I actually liked this girl. She was quiet and unassuming. There aren't many people like that anymore. "Chicago," I reply.

"Oh cool! My grandmother lives there, I went and visited her during the vacation. It's such a great place," she gushes.

I raise an eyebrow in surprise. Where'd the quiet girl go?

She blushes when she catches my look. "Sorry. So, uh, why'd you move here?"

"I just needed a change of scenery," I say. I quickly continue speaking, "So what's the dynamic here?"

She doesn't comment on my obvious change of topic. "Same as any high school, I imagine. Jocks and cheerleaders rule the school, no one else matters." She doesn't say it bitterly, but just like it's an accepted fact.

"O-kay," I draw the word out.

We reach the class, but there are assigned seats here so I take the only one left, while Angela sits down across the room from me.

The guy next to me is gorgeous. Mind blowing shut my eyes it hurts to look at for too long gorgeous. Blond curly hair, bright blue eyes, cheeky smirk. "Hey there, pretty girl," he drawls.

Oh, _God._ Nurse! We need new panties stat!

"The names Jasper," he says while I continue to stare at him like he can make all my dreams come true.

"Bella," I whimper. Where the fuck did my verbal skills go? "Pleasure to meet you, Jasper," I add, attempting to be polite.

He chuckles lightly, "Pleasures all mine darlin'."

I think I'll like this school.

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**AN; Thoughts? :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Despite sitting next to a god, class passes dismally slow—until the teacher steps out of the room. A blond bimbo steps up to my desk with two of her no doubt lackeys at her side.

"So, you're the new girl," Bimbo One sneers.

I shrug, more concerned with the end of my pen.

"Don't you talk?" Bimbo Two sniggers. Bimbo One gives her a withering glare.

"I talk… to people that are worth my time," I say, still not paying them much attention. I could tell that it's getting to them.

"What's wrong with your voice?" Bimbo One asks, her tone is filled with disdain.

"It's called an accent, you moron," I reply. My accent is a bit of a sore spot with me. "We can't all sound like we've got something stuck up our asses."

The blond god next to me starts laughing, unconcerned with the glare Bimbo One is giving him.

"Are you, like Swedish or something?" The Third Bimbo asks, her face showing real confusion.

I smile sweetly. "No, after my parents died, I vowed to become a crusader against crime. I travelled every continent learning new abilities that would help me. As a result my accent's turned into a mongrel. Much like your face." I'm not proud to say that I pulled a "Your face" joke, but it's well fitted. It looks like she's wearing three different layers of foundation that are all different shades. The affect is… well, it's something.

Her glare shoots to me, and she leans down, shoving her stuffed bra into my face. "Now you listen here, bitch. Me: Queen Bee. You: Ant. Step out of line, and I'll crush you," she threatens before sauntering back to her desk.

Jasper turns to me, his blue eyes wide. "I can't believe you just stole Batman's life story," he says, a brilliant smile on his face.

I shrug. "Who says I did?"

He snorts, before settling his gaze over my shoulder. His expression becomes worried. "Bella, I like you, so for your own safety… watch out for Tanya."

I assume that Tanya is one of the Bimbos. "I take it that she's not one of those bitches that're all talk?"

He's already shaking his head before I'd even finished asking. "Nope. She'll claw your eyes out while smiling the whole time. Lauren, however, is all talk. And as for Jessica, well, she's every body's friend, until, you know, she's not."

I nod in understanding. "I can take 'em," I declare loftily.

"Let's not take any chances shall we," he says with a smile.

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**Review? :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Angela is waiting for me after class. Her eyes are bugging out of her head, and she's practically bouncing on her feet. "Is it true?" She demands when she sees me.

"Is what true?"

"I heard that Lauren bitch slapped you after you gave Jasper a blow job _during class."_

Wow. "I didn't take you for a gossip," I say, not even bothering to answer her ludicrous question.

"I'm not usually," she admits, looking down at her feet. "I'm sorry, it's just that nothing exciting ever happens here! And well… you look like the type."

"_What_?" I screech, coming to a stop in the middle of the hall, causing several people to crash into me. They shoot me glares but I ignore them, choosing instead to stare at Angela. "You think I'd go down on a guy _that I just met, _in class?"

"No! No, no. That's not what I meant!" Her cheeks turn a bright red which looks nice with her olive skin tone. "I just meant that you look like the exciting type! Oh, God, I'm sorry!"

We stop outside my art class and I decide to go easy on the poor girl. "Angela, it's fine. You just met me as well. For all you know, I could be a massive slut that likes to suck a stranger's dick."

She giggles. "I wouldn't blame you. I'd suck Jasper Hale's toes if he so much as looked at me," she says dreamily.

I cock an eyebrow. "Is a snob? He didn't seem like the type."

"He's not really a snob… more like he doesn't care enough about anything or anyone to really notice them, ya know?"

Yeah, I do know. I used to be like that, too.

Angela continues before I can say anything. "They're all like that, though."

"Who?"

She leans toward me in a conspiratorial way before speaking in a hushed voice. "The Beautiful Ones. Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie and Edward," she whispers the names like they're something sacred. "They pretty much own the school. Lauren, Tanya and Jessica only think they do because the Beautiful Ones don't care enough to do anything about it. But everyone would do pretty much anything for them."

I can't help but laugh at the way she glances around her to make sure they don't overhear anything. "The Beautiful Ones? Really? You know that abbreviates to BO aye? I find it hard to believe that everyone would do anything for BO."

Angela looks like she wants to laugh but is too weary to.

I wave her goodbye and head into the class.


	6. Chapter 6

I love art. It's the one subject that I could do anything and still be right, but with that said it still challenges me. My parents were very academic and therefore encouraged me to excel in all areas of it. But with art it's not something that you can study to perfect. Sure, you can learn all about the different brush strokes or techniques, but if you don't have imagination or creativity then it doesn't matter how much you know about it, you'll never create something worth looking at.

I grew up learning that feelings weren't necessary in order to achieve, therefore I learnt to suppress them. Except when I was in art class.

There is another BO in this class. There is no way that someone could look like _that _and not be considered beautiful. He has a wild mane of hair in the strangest shade of reddish brown, with startling green eyes that stood out from the other side of the room, and a strong jaw that I just want to lick.

"You can stare all you like, but he won't talk to you," says the little thing of a girl next to me. Even sitting down, I can tell that she's short, but despite that she stands out. It's not the pink and blue streaks in her short inky hair, but she sort of exudes this energy that makes me want to jump up and start doing star jumps.

"Was I that obvious?" I ask, feeling a blush creep up my face.

She barks out a short high pitched laugh that has a few heads turning our way. "Yeah, you could say that. That's Edward Cullen. You could take a shit on his face and he still probably wouldn't notice you."

I laugh along with her. Her description of him matches up with what Angela told me, but I have a feeling she isn't talking about me or this Edward guy anymore.

"It's great to meet you, Bella. I'm Alice," she says, a smile on her face.

"How'd you know my—"

"The whole school knows you now. You're on Lauren's hit list," she interrupts.

News travels fast in this school. "Just so you know, I didn't give Jasper a blow job during history," I blurt.

She cracks up, actually holding her side from laughing so hard. She eventually calms down enough to say, "I only heard that he grabbed your tits, but I knew straight away that it wasn't true."

I'm happy that at least one person didn't immediately think I'm a slut. But— "How'd you know it wasn't true?" I ask anyway.

"He's just like Edward—ignores everyone."

"He didn't ignore me," I say. "I mean, we'd didn't make out or anything, but we did talk a bit."

Her eyes bug out of her little head. "That's probably why the rumour got started. You've gotta be like the first person he's willingly spoken to that's not in his group."

For a group that's so reserved, everyone sure does seem to know a lot about them.

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**AN; Review? :)**


	7. Chapter 7

I spend the rest of the class talking with Alice while doing the work. She's a nice girl, too energetic, but still down to earth. And the shit that comes out of her mouth is pretty hilarious. I sit with her and her group of friends at lunch. I'm happy to see Angela is one of them.

I'm sitting next to a guy that keeps trying to steal glances down my top. "I'm Mike," he says eventually, his eyes finally reaching my own.

"Bella," I reply, focusing on my lunch.

"So Bella… you're from Canada, right?" he asks, his gaze going back to my tits.

"Chicago," I correct.

"Right, right. So, what's it like going to a school with more than three hundred people?"

At this point, I notice that I have the attention of a couple of guys sitting near me. I decide to play with them. "I wouldn't know," I say, scooping out the bottom of my yogurt. "I grew up in a nudist colony, there was only ten of us kids and well… we didn't get much school work done."

I laugh at the expression on each of their faces. Even if the whole school thinks I'm some weird hippie girl, it was so worth it.

"Ah, that's… Wow!" The guy with black hair and skin problems sputters.

"Yeah, there were only girls in my class at the nudist colony, and we spent more time playing with each other than doing any work."

Mission accomplished. I render them speechless and doing a fair imitation a fishes out of water. I leave them to their fantasies and go back to eating. Alice leans over to me and whispers, "That was mean—funny, but mean."

I give her a sly smile.

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**AN; Thoughts?**


	8. Chapter 8

My next class is Biology and I'm grateful that it's my second to last class of the day. I find myself sitting next to Edward, since it was the only seat left available. He doesn't even register my presence as I sit down next to him.

Mr. Banner, the teacher, drones on about the assignment for today, but Edward only turns to me when we're told that we have to do it with our partners. We his gaze does settle on me, his expression turns into one of surprise.

"You like Call of Duty?" He asks, his voice a light caress over my body.

I blink at him. I blink again, until I remember what t-shirt I'm wearing. I'm surprised that he knew it was inspired by COD to be honest. It was a list of my favourite perks that I use during the game. "Yeah, love the game. Beats Halo any day," I say. I'm surprised that another one of the people that apparently 'don't talk to anyone' is talking to me.

"Oh, I definitely agree. What's your favourite one?"

"Modern Warfare 2," I respond, ignoring the burning stares I could feel boring into me by the other class members.

"What are you kidding me? MW3 is so much better!" He states, his forehead crinkling up with the fierceness of his pronouncement.

I laugh, "This isn't a debate we have time for, right now." I tap the work sheet on our table, reminding him that we had work to do.

"Fine," he huffs, grabbing the piece of paper. "But this isn't over."

I damn well hope not.


	9. Chapter 9

My last class is gym, something that I was actually excited about until I saw the uniform. Half my ass is hanging out of the tiny yellow shorts and the other half might as well be from how tight they are. The blue tank top is about thirteen sizes too small. I'm exaggerating, but still. I swear this school is trying to breed sluts.

Entering the gym I make the assumption that I'm sharing this class with the last two beautiful people. The guy—what was his name?—was huge. Like walk into him and mistake him for a bus huge, but with the tight shirt he has on, it's apparent that it's all muscle. The girl—Rosalyn was it?—is kill me now I don't want to live anymore gorgeous. Long blond hair, perfect lean hour glass figure, and legs that go on for miles.

They are standing right in the middle of the group of teenagers milling about, but something about the way they were talking to each other made it clear that they could've been in Afghanistan for all they knew.

"For the rest of the semester we'll be doing acrobatics." The class collectively groans, which makes the teacher chuckle. "By the end of this, you'll all hopefully realise the necessity of being limber. Acrobatics can be applied to all sports." He quickly counts the class before saying, "I want you in groups of three." He hands out a piece of paper with drawing of stick people in weird positions. A lot of the guys start pointing at different ones and giggling. Real mature.

The teacher continues speaking as he makes his way around the area. "I want you to take turns perfecting at least three of these positions, and by the end of the class, each group will perform a short routine that uses their chosen positions.

"Get to it!" He orders when we all just stand there.

The class quickly breaks off into different groups as I'm left standing there, since I don't know anyone in this class.

The teacher whistles at me to get my attention. "New girl," he shouts, causing the nearby people to look. "You're with Hale and McCarty since they're only a group of two."

I give a look of dread at the only group of two here. Of course. I'm paired up with _them._ My earlier enthusiasm for this class dies a sudden yet tragic death.

I slowly walk over to them. They don't acknowledge me at all when I reach them. The big guy—Emmett! Yes that's his name—is lying on the floor with his legs sticking up straight in the air. The girl is standing there positioning his feet to rest against her stomach. I look down at my sheet and find the position that they're attempting. It looks simple enough on paper, and I see that it's just as simple when they do it. The girl—Not Rosalyn… Rosalie?—leans forward and Emmett catches her hands in his, balancing her weight with his feet still in the air. She lets go of his hands and adds a flourish.

They start moving onto a second position when the teacher comes over. "I know there aren't a lot of three person positions, but I would like you to include everyone."

Emmett looks at him like he's bored. "If you know that there aren't three person positions, why'd ya make us groups of three?"

"Safety reasons," the teacher responds. "The third person is meant to help the other two into position and catch them if they fall. But seeing as how you two are very unlikely to need a safety person, I'd like you to modify your positions to include three people. It doesn't have to be elaborate," he says as he walks off to the next group.

For the first time they actually look at me. The girl gives a short nod, more to herself than to me. "You'll do." They get into the first position. The girl—I'm pretty sure her name is Rosalie—starts to instruct me while balancing on her stomach on Emmett's feet. "Go stand over there and lean—"

"I actually had my own idea," I interrupt, only realizing once I'd done it that I probably shouldn't of.

Her eyes narrow, but she says, "Then by all means. Show us."

I'd seen another position that requires one of the people to be lying down, so I thought that it might work if we combined the two. I don't explain that to them, since Rosalie had clearly said 'show' them. She doesn't look like the type to unnecessarily speak.

I move around until I'm standing by Emmett's head, and ask him to stretch out his arms. He does so, wordlessly. I place my palms in his giant ones and grip them tightly, he does the same. Then, using mostly upper body strength, I flip myself over so that I'm upside down, being held up by Emmett's hands. As an extra little flourish, I move my legs so that I'm doing the splits.

Having proven my point, I flip myself down and land lightly next to them. Rosalie does the same. She gives me a long evaluating look that makes me shrink self-consciously into myself. "What else can you do?" She finally asks.

I shrug, "Anything. I've been doing gymnastics since before I could walk."

Emmett laughs lightly, getting to his feet.

"Cheerleading try-outs are tomorrow. Be there," she says.

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**AN; This chapter was quite long for a drabble. Thanks for the favs, alerts and reviews, guys! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

The performances at the end of class are less than inspired. They mostly consist of half-assed attempts at hand stands and lots of giggling.

The Three Bimboes are the only other group that actually do something worth looking at… if they had of decided to not shake their flat asses every three seconds.

The class are both amazed and awe struck after our performance, and the teacher gives me the same directive as Rosalie. Be at the cheerleading try-outs tomorrow.

After school I walk to Charlie's in the light drizzle. He'd given me a key last night because he knew that he wouldn't be there when I get back from school.

That night when he gets back from work, dinner is waiting and ready for him. He seems surprised but genuinely pleased.

He takes a deep breath before saying, "Wow, that smells great."

We settle in to eat.

Charlie pauses eating after a few silent moments to ask, "How was school?"

"Good," I say. He stares at me for a few moments as if deciding whether to ask me something else or not. I decide to put him out of his misery and make it easier on him. "Everyone was really surprised to see a new person."

"They didn't give you any trouble, did they?" He looks genuinely concerned at the thought.

I think back to Lauren, Tanya and Jessica, and then to Angela, Alice, and the fact that the Beautiful Ones had talked to me. "Nothing that I can't handle," I say.

He gives me a long look, uncertain if he should be worried or not.

"I'm kidding," I say. "They were all very welcoming."


	11. Chapter 11

I'd never really fit in anywhere. I was born and raised in America, but my parents weren't exactly your typical American parents.

In fact, they weren't American at all.

Because of that I'd never fit in with my family, though they did try, and I'd never fit in at school either because of my unusual situation.

This was my chance to fit in and be normal.

So, why wasn't I taking it?

I reflect on my first day of school as I walk to my first class the next day. I'd pretty much taken every chance I could to stand out. I'd painted a bright red target on my head for the Blond Bimboes, I'd gotten the normally reclusive clique to actually talk to me, and I'd shown that I wasn't entirely normal.

It is still early enough that I can smooth things over and blend in to the background, but I don't think I can make myself do that. This school is the epitome of an American high school stereotype, and I hate it.

Things need to change, and I'll be damned if I don't try to shake things up a bit.

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**AN; Thanks for the lovely reviews :)**


	12. Chapter 12

I sit with Angela during my first class, again. She's back to being quiet and unassuming. We spend the class talking about Shakespear of all things, until I realize that she's having trouble doing her work.

Calculus is easy for me. I've had the formulas and methods drilled into me since I could remember that two plus two is four. I can do this work with my eyes closed.

Deciding that I should balance my bad influence with helping her, I lean over and quietly explain what she's done wrong in her equation. She smiles at me in gratitude.

As she's walking with me to history, she says, "You're really good at maths. I'm the top of the class, but you're on a whole other level."

There's a question there, so I respond, "My parents were Asian," I say, like that explains everything. Which to me, it does.

She laughs, and I realize that she must think I'm joking since I hardly look Asian and she knows that Charlie is my biological father. "Well, that explains it," she says, still chuckling.

I decide to let her think that I was joking. It's easier than explaining everything to her.

We enter history together, and like yesterday, I end up sitting next to the blond god. "Hey," he says.

"S'up," I reply, wondering why on earth that came out of my mouth.

"So," he starts, a twinkle in his eye. "I heard that you beat up Tanya after school yesterday."

I laugh. "I wish."

He laughs with me.

"Why are you talking to me?" I blurt out.

He gives me an odd look but decides to answer anyway. "Much like you said yesterday, I only talk to people worth my time."

"So, how'd you know I was worth your time before I'd even spoken to you?" I ask, since he was the one that started conversation yesterday.

He taps his nose. "I just know these things. Don't question it."

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**AN; So, this is kinda racist, but all the Asians I know are ridiculously good at everything, mainly because they work real hard, so that's why Bella is gonna be good at things in this story :) thank you for the kind reviews!**


	13. Chapter 13

Jasper is a real history buff. He walks with me to art since we are engrossed in a heated debate about the Civil war. The idiot makes some good points defending the north, which I find odd since he has a Southern accent. I could probably argue for either side, but I like to be controversial, so I take the south's side.

"They weren't all dicks!" I exclaim, only now just realizing that he'd walked me right to my desk.

He chuckles lightly, "Very valid point," he says dryly.

I huff. "Aren't you in the wrong class?"

"Very observant, aren't you?" He tips an imaginary hat before leaving the room.

I notice that I have the attention of the entire class. Even Edward.

Alice's eyes are as wide as sauces when I sit down next to her. "You know Jasper?" She whispers urgently.

"Don't you? You've been here longer than me," I say.

She glares at me good naturedly. "You know what I mean," she pouts, crossing her arms over her chest.

The look in her eye is unmistakable. She's got it bad for this guy.

"Want me to introduce you?"

If I thought her eyes were wide before, it's got nothing on them now. "You… You'd do that?"

"Anything for you, darlin'," I drawl, laughing.

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**AN; so someone asked for longer chapters, and I totally understand that, so when I run out of my chapters that I've already written, I'll consider making them a bit longer if you lovely readers still want that. Let me know, since I am close to having to write some more :)**


	14. Chapter 14

I am doing something that apparently, as Angela and Alice so kindly told me countless of times, no one does here.

I am walking up to the Beautiful One's table. _I _was initiating contact. A first for Forks high school apparently.

I notice that the cafeteria quietens as I near their table at the back, and about a million eyes on my every movement.

The five of them look up at me as I stop a step away from their table. "Hey guys!" I say, covering my nervousness with enthusiasm that I don't feel. I'm pretty sure that they see through it anyway. "I was wondering if I could talk to you, Jasper."

He smirks at Edward before standing up. "What can I do for ya, darlin'?"

Oh God. I can't believe that I'm about to give up my chance with this Southern god. But well, I don't think I could handle seeing a depressed Alice.

"I know that you don't normally do this," I say, glancing nervously at the others. Edward is staring at me like I have two heads. "But do you think you could talk to my friend?" I blurt out.

He cocks an eyebrow at me, a small grin overtaking his face.

"I promise that she's worth talking to," I say when he remains silent.

"It'd be a pleasure," he says after a second or two of me holding my breath.

I think a relieved sigh escapes me, even as the entire population of Forks high stares at us as we make our way back to my table.

Alice is gaping like a fish when he actually sits down next to her. I sit on her other side and lean in to whisper in her ear, "While your attempt at catching flies is adorable, you might want to shut your mouth in case Jasper gets the wrong idea."

Her mouth snaps shut with an audible crack.

"Alice, this is Jasper," I say, waving my hand over the general vicinity of Alice. "Jasper this is—"

"Alice, I know," he interrupts, surprising everyone at the table.

Alice gives him a flabbergasted look that makes him explain himself. "I'm not completely reclusive, you know. Besides, you do the banner for each football game. It's impressive."

Her entire face explodes in a blush that makes her ten times more adorable. Until she opens her mouth. It's like she just contracted verbal diarrhoea and starts blabbering about all the colours that she used for it and how difficult it is to mix the colours and to get the same ones every time. In other words, she starts rambling.

"Alice, sweetie, could you get me a water, please? I didn't bring my wallet today," I ask sweetly.

It's obvious that she knows something is up, but she complies and leaves the table, giving Jasper a long lingering look.

"I may have spoken too soon," I muse.

"About what?" Jasper replies, resting his chin in his hands.

"About her saying things worth listening to."

He laughs, throwing his head back. "It's cute," he says. "If a bit overwhelming."

Seeing that Alice is on her way back, I get up and meet her halfway. "What the hell was that?" I demand, taking the water from her.

"I don't know!" She says, her voice desperate and mortified. "I don't know what came over me."

"Just calm down, and treat him like anyone else," I whisper as we sit back down.

Alice seems to take my words to heart, and she relaxes a bit. The conversation between them flows easily as they start comparing their favourite music.

Alice has her foot in the door. My job here is done. I smile to myself as I watch the love story unfold before me.

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**AN; so the general consensus is for longer chapters. I'll see how that goes, but all chapters will still be under a thousand words most likely. Thoughts? :)**


	15. Chapter 15

True to Edward's word, when I sit down next to him in biology he launches into why Modern Warfare 3 is so much better than Modern Warfare 2. "The perks are way better, they make the game more enjoyable," he says.

"The perks are the same in both games," I say, not entirely sure I am right, considering that I've never actually played MW3. I like MW2, so why would I move on to play a game that's most likely a shittier version of it?

"Well, true, but the graphics are on another level, which make the perks seem way better," he states.

"There's nothing wrong with the graphics in MW2," I say, pulling out my books for the class.

"You're kidding, right? They've got nothing on MW3."

"You're so full of shit," I say, laughing.

He narrows his eyes at me, even as his lips lift up in this sexy crooked grin. "Have you even played MW3?"

"No," I admit, a blush staining my cheeks. "MW2 was so good that I didn't see the point in changing games."

He stares at me long and hard, before asking, "What perks do you use?"

This is a test. He's trying to figure out whether I've been full of shit all this time, only talking about something that I thought he'd be interested. I understand, since most chicks pretend to take an interest in things they really couldn't care less about just to attract a guy.

"One man army pro, cold-blooded pro, and commando pro," I fire off, not missing a heartbeat.

He seems reassured. "You'll have to come over and play MW3 sometime then. You don't know what you're missing out on."

Did I just get my ins with Edward Cullen?

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**AN; I know I said longer chapters, but this was already written. The next few will be the same length, but after that I've started writing a bit longer ones. But remember that this is a drabble fic. Review? :)**


	16. Chapter 16

Gym class is pretty non-eventful. The teacher is unhappy with yesterday's performances, save mine and Lauren's groups. Because of this, the class spend the whole lesson redoing the same thing as yesterday.

Rosalie and Emmett sit off to the side, while Jessica, Lauren and Tanya are on the other side of the room huddled together. I'm left sitting on my own for the whole class since we didn't have to partake in the lesson today.

I forgot a change of clothes for cheerleading try-outs, so I just stay in my PE uniform. It's still fresh since I wasted the class sitting about.

I wasn't planning of coming to the try-outs but I am scared that Rosalie might bite my head off if I don't at least show up.

Then she can see for herself that I've never done any cheerleading before.

Ten minutes after the bell rings, girls start ambling into the gym. I am surrounded by preppy ponytails and lots of bare flesh.

A woman walks in and introduces herself as Coach Cullen. She makes this big long speech that I mostly tune out. There is a girl next to me that also has no interest in what the coach is saying. She starts making weird noises, which makes some of the other girls giggle.

"Paige!" Coach Cullen says, her voice deadly quiet but still hard as nails. "Get out and don't bother coming back."

There is a collective gasp from the girls. Lauren calls out, "You can't do that, Miss! She's our best flyer."

The coach's eyes narrow in on Lauren now. "I don't care if she's the President's daughter. And if you decide to chime in again unnecessarily, you can leave, too," she says to Lauren before continuing on to Paige. "Now leave." She thrusts her arm out, pointing in the direction of the door.

After a pregnant silence, Paige gets up and walks out.

Coach Cullen continues on with her speech as if nothing had happened. She's back to being soft and kind, but after that display I know that she's not to be messed with.

I contemplate calling out something, just so she'll send me out too, but I find that I like this tough woman, and I don't want to do anything to annoy her.

The try-outs start off pretty simple. We all line up, and the coach calls out a tumbling combination. The person at the front has to do it. If she doesn't do it to the coach's satisfaction, she's sent away.

A lot of sad faces have walked out the door over the past half an hour. Jessica is standing in line in front of me. Lauren and Tanya were before her, and sadly, they both made it through this round.

"Standing back handspring-step out round off back handspring," Coach Cullen calls out for Jessica. Jessica takes a deep breath before going into the movements. She does the first part great, but decides to change the combo, ending with a front full layout instead of the round off back handspring.

Her form is actually pretty good, but Coach Cullen is less than pleased. "Thank you for that, Jessica. Now, take your bags and leave."

She nods her head, mutely, but Tanya is having none of it. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She demands of the coach. "That was perfect!"

"You're right," she responds calmly. "But it wasn't what I asked for. If she can't follow instructions, then there's no place on the squad for her."

Tanya opens her mouth to protest, but Coach Cullen cuts her off. "The same goes for you."

Tanya went back to her place on the wall, giving Jessica an 'I tried' look.

"Front walkover cartwheel back handspring-step out round-off back handspring," the coach calls out for me.

Again, I consider purposefully changing the combo, but I catch Rosalie's glare at the general population of the class and hastily forget about doing that.

I do the steps, ending with my arms up in a flourish, something that was drilled into me from years of gymnastics. I'm not really sure if that's what you do for cheerleading though.

The coach nods at me, giving me a small, kind smile and tells me to wait with the rest of the girls that had gotten through the first test.

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**AN; Bonjour tout le monde! Thank you for the lovely reviews! I broke my hand almost a week ago and I'm running out of pre-written chapters, so updates _might_ be just a little slower since it's quite painful to write and really slow using only one hand. Sorry bout that, but I'll try to update as frequently as I can :)**


	17. Chapter 17

Rosalie comes up to me while we wait for the rest of the girls to do their required combos. "You did good," she says simply.

"Thanks."

"Mum's a real bitch here, but at home, she's a total softy," she laughs. I just look at her—then over to Coach Cullen. Mum?

Though they are both beyond stunning, they look nothing alike, with Rosalie's tall lean body and blond hair, and the Coach's soft petite body and honey brown hair. I would've thought she is Edward's mum, since they have the same last name.

"She doesn't seem like much of a softy to me," I say, deciding to ignore the 'mum' thing for now.

Rosalie laughs again. "She has to be tough around here, otherwise we'd walk all over her."

Something in her eyes while she says that makes me think that she's not just talking about Coach Cullen anymore.

"Gotcha," I say. "So what's up next?"

Apparently Rosalie has used up her talking quota for the day, since she just shrugs and walks off. I stand there, with my back to the wall while I watch the last girls finish up. I'm not really bothered, since apparently it's a miracle that she talks to me at all.

"Right!" the Coach bellows, startling a few of the other girls. "I want to see how well you pick up cheers, so form lines and I'll teach you one."

I stand right at the back, knowing that this would be the part that lets me down. I am surprisingly excited about cheerleading—the whole high school experience and all that—but I know that I'm not a very cheerful person, and that I can hardly inspire cheer. I have no doubt that I'll easily pick up the cheer, but delivering it convincingly will be my downfall.

Coach Cullen starts the cheer, adding in simple arm and a few leg movements.

"_Yellow and Blue!_

_Can we scream who?_

_We are the Hornets!_

_The horny, horny Hornets!"_

The lyrics leave much to be desired, and the actions are far from challenging, but as predicted, I just can't act as excited and cheerful as the other girls. My moves seem robotic in comparison. I'd made a good call in coming to the back.

…Or so I'd thought.

After the second run through, the front line moves to the back and we all move up one line. My turn at the front comes all too soon.

By the time my line is at the front for close inspection, I think I've mastered pretending to be enthusiastic. My smile is wide, showing too many teeth to be natural, and I add a bounce in my steps to make me seem bubbly.

I feel a little spastic to be honest, but when the Coach doesn't pause longer on me than the others, I think that I've passed.

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**AN; Thanks for the awesome reviews :)**


	18. Chapter 18

The rest of the try-outs pass pretty well. It doesn't seem like we're doing much, but when a few more girls are sent away, it becomes obvious that Coach Cullen is focusing on how well we follow instructions than our actual talent.

As more time passes, I find that I'm really enjoying myself. Cheerleading is quite different from gymnastics and I'm really loving the changes.

Two hours after we begin, we're finally done. A group of almost thirty girls are left standing around me, Rosalie, Tanya and Lauren included. Almost twice that haven't made the cut.

"Contratulations, girls!" Coach Cullen says. Her caramel brown hair has fallen from her pony tail and left dangling in strands around her face. It makes her seem younger, almost like she should be standing with us. "Practice starts next Monday, and will be every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday."

If I had of known that to start with, I probably wouldn't still be standing here.

With a final 'congrats,' we're dismissed.

I hurry to the changing rooms with twenty six other sweaty girls, wondering what on earth I'd gotten myself into.

...

Charlie is home when I get there. He's waiting at the kitchen table, a frown turning down his lips. I feel his eyes on me as I walk past the entry way to dump my bag in my room.

I go back downstairs to grab a glass of water, and there he is, looming over me, his expression furious.

"Where have you been?" He demands.

"At school," I respond after I've gotten a glass and filled it.

"School let out two and a half hours ago!" His voice is just shy of yelling. I wonder why he's so mad? My parents were always angry if I got home straight after school, because that meant that I'd missed one of my many practices.

"I had cheer try-outs," I say calmly. I wonder if that pulsating vain on his forehead is going to explode as I sip my drink.

His face transforms to one of confusion. "I didn't know you cheered," he says.

I shrug. "Why would you?" I respond, instead of saying what I was thinking; _Yeah, I didn't either._

He frowns again, but this time it's less with anger and more with awkwardness. "Well, next time, let me know when you won't be home," he says gruffly before exiting the room quickly.

I still don't really understand what his problem is. My parents never cared where I was during the day, unless I made it to my Piano, Violin, Gymnastics, and tutoring lessons, and that I was home before curfew.

I don't understand this man that is my father. Not one bit.

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**AN; So I got a new laptop, and it has no word processing thing on it so I'm a bit stuck. I'll have to wait until next pay day so I can buy MS Word or something, so until then I'll try and update as often as I can on another PC. Thank you for the reviews! Makes my stressful days a lot better :)**


	19. Chapter 19

Edward is leaning next to a silver Volvo when I arrive at school. I park my decrepit truck next to his sleek car. Charlie had taken me down to some reservation yesterday after he'd gotten over his bitch fit.

We'd gone back to his house with this beautiful piece of machinery. It was old and beyond huge but I loved it. Even though I can drive, my parents had never let me get my own car.

I smile at Edward when I slam the door shut and make to walk past him but he moves to stand in my way.

"Bella," he says, as if I didn't know my own name. I wait for him to say something profound enough to stop me in my tracks. I'm sadly disappointed. "Hi."

"Hey," I respond. I rock back and forth on my feet in a hopefully obvious sign of my discomfort.

"What you did for Jazz was great," he says, his green eyes brightening at the mention of his friend.

I can only assume that 'Jazz' is Jasper, and that what I did was get him and Alice talking. Then again, I try to not make a habit of assuming too much. "What'd I do?" I ask.

I push past him, hoping that he'll take the hint and walk with me. I'm sick of standing there awkwardly.

He follows along next to me as he elaborates. "Setting him up with Alice. He's been in love with her since he discovered his dick," Edward says, laughing lightly. His awkwardness seems to be left behind as we stroll along to a picnic bench behind the school.

I laugh with him, still a bit unsure as to why he decided to talk to me in the first place. "Damn," I say, folding my legs underneath me as I sit down. "I was hoping they wouldn't hit it off, and I could walk in and pick up the pieces," I joke. Shit. Sometimes I need to learn to shut my rambling mouth.

He looks at me, clearly trying to figure out whether I'm joking or not. "Oh, well... I should get to class," he says, rushing to stand up.

"I was joking," I say quickly. "As gorgeous as he is... he's not my type."

Hesitantly, he sits back down, placing his bag in the space between us, an obvious barrier. "So, what is your type?"

I lean back against the top of the bench as I think. But not about his question. This boy is absolutely stunning. Beautiful beyond human contemplation even. It was pretty damn evident on the first day that I got here that the entire female population of the high school worships the ground that he walks on, so why the hell is he so nervous and awkward? Surely, he's used to talking to girls, right? He isn't always this awkward with me. The other times we've talked, conversation had been easy between us.

I shrug in answer to his initial question. "He's just not who I want," I say, staring intently at him, taking in his almost auburn hair in this light, which makes his green eyes sparkle.

"Who... who do you want?" He asks. He looks away from me, choosing instead to stare out into the sprinkling of trees around the school.

"What're you doing after school?" I ask, ignoring his question. Honestly? I don't know who I want, or what my type is. Dating is completely new to me. My parents were far too strict to ever allow me to have a boy friend, believing that it'll distract me from my studies. Of course, that never stopped me from carrying out the more carnal side of dating. A couple of quick flings in janitors closets and I knew all I needed to about _that _area of it.

"Nothing, why?" He responds, completely unaware of my internal musings.

"I'm taking you up on that offer of coming around to play Modern Warfare 3," I say.

At the mention of the game, he immediately relaxes, and this breath-taking smile lights his face. I get momentarily distracted by the way his lips are moving.

"You won't be disappointed," he gushes. I'm lost again by the way his lips form the words. Clearly it was a mistake to think about my past experiences while I'm with this gorgeous guy. "... so I'll meet you in the car park and you can follow me home? Or do you need to go home first?"

His lips are full, but not too full to be feminine. Perfect lips to lightly catch between my teeth.

"Uh, Bella?"

I wonder what it would feel like to run my tongue along his bottom lip. Would they be as soft as they look?

"Bella!"

"Ah, what?" I drag my eyes from his lips to see him staring at me with a weird expression on his face.

"Do you need to go home first?" He repeats.

"No, no I'm good to go," I respond.

Thankfully the bells rings then, distracting us from our weird moment. Today is gonna be good.

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**AN; Huge thanks to my beautiful reviewers! And to all my readers and followers! Makes my day :)**


	20. Chapter 20

Angela is strangley quite talkative in Calculus. She chatters on about a lot of mindless things and actually gets warned by the teacher a couple of times. She almost completely ignores her work, choosing instead to talk about random mindless topics.

"I couldn't decide between Candy Apple Red or Cherry Bloom Red, so I just got both," she gushes as we're walking out of the class.

Completely frustrated after spending the last hour of similar topics, I grab her arm and pull her to the side, out of the way of the stream of rushing high schoolers. "First of all," I say, sharper than I'd meant to. "There isn't a difference between the two - red is red! Second, since when did you give a fuck about any of that crap?"

Her olive skin flushes a deep red and she looks down at her feet. I catch her glance to the left and I follow her gaze. Leaning against a locker with Mike and Eric is Ben. Ben Cheney usually sits with us at lunch, and he's in Calculus with us, but I'd never really noticed him before. I didn't think Angela had either. Looks like I'm wrong.

"When did this happen?" I ask, my voice hushed.

Her blush darkens. "Yesterday the boys had soccer try-outs. My dad's the Coach, so I had to stick around and help out, and well... it was shirts and skins," she says, giggling.

"Shirts and skins?" I parrot, not sure of the significance of that.

"Ben was a skin," she giggles.

Comprehension dawns on me - that boy must look damn fine to turn Angela into a giggling wreck. And now she has a crush, which explains the sudden change of behavior.

My voice is serious when I respond. "Angela, don't do this."

"Do what?"

"Change yourself to be what you think he'll want," I explain, patiently.

"I'm not..."

"Then what the hell was all that shit about nail polish?" I demand, my voice daring her to lie to me.

"I-I... I'm just so out of my depth!" She exclaims, actually flinging her arms out, almost hitting a passing girl. She gives us a filthy look before scurrying on.

"You and me both, girl. But maybe we can get through this together."

We link arms and continue walking to class. "So what's up with you?" She asks.

"Edward's acting weird around me," I say.

"He acts weird around everyone," she responds, laughing lightly.

I sigh. "This is different. I swear he's bipolar or something. One minute he's free and easy, the next he's nervous and stutter-y."

Angela giggles again - honestly, the sound is close to getting on my nerves. "Oh, Bella... I thought I had a lot to learn, but you're on another level."

I frown and ask her to explain but she just giggles again. Why is everything so difficult at this school?

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**AN; Thank you for the lovely reviews, and the alerts and favs :)**


	21. Chapter 21

I walk to my second class of the day with Angela. I'm excited to talk to Jasper today, I want to see what he thinks of Alice, if what Edward said is actually true.

Angela and I part ways at the door, but not without a raised eyebrow from me when I finally get a good look at who she sits next to as per the seating plan. Ben Cheney. She looks absolutely glowing at this, but at the same time terrified. I smile to myself as I walk over to my seat next to Jasper. Or as Edward called him, 'Jazz.'

"How are we, today?" I ask him, settling myself in the seat.

"We are amused," he replies, putting on a British accent. His smirk ruins the effect though, but still causes me to laugh.

I pull my books out of my bag and try to ask as casually as I can while stealing glances of him from the corner of my eye. "So... Alice, aye?" I say, as eloquent as ever.

I see his smirk turn sheepish and a light blush coat his cheeks. I take that as confirmation that he's in love with the girl, like Edward said.

"Why didn't you do anything sooner?" I'm unable to stop myself from asking, or from my eyes meeting his.

He shrugs, but I can tell that it's not the casual gesture he's trying to make it seem like. His shoulders are too tense to pull it off.

I just stare at him, letting my expectant gaze say all that I wanted to.

"It's complicated," he says with a sigh.

What could be so complicated about young love? It all seems pretty straight forward to me; you like someone, so you go talk to them. If they like you back, what's the problem?

"You're, what, seventeen? Eighteen? What the hell could be so complicated?" I let my own confused frustration out, which makes my voice a bit loud. The teacher, whose name I've yet to learn, shoots us an aggravated look, but once he sees that I'm talking to Jasper, he continues on with his lesson that no one's really paying much attention to. Hell, I don't even know what the class is.

Jasper lets out a quiet chuckle. "I can't say," he responds, much quieter than I did.

"You like her," I say slowly so even a three year old would understand. "She's crazy about you." His eyes light up and he gets a sheepish smile on his handsome face. "So sort out whatever's so fucking complicated and snatch Alice up before someone else does."

He's still smiling softly, but there's something puzzling in his gaze that I don't understand. "But what if the complication isn't mine to control?"

"If it effects your life, then you'll always have some say in it," I say, not thinking about his situation anymore. When my parents died, I was given two options. Enter the foster care system, or go and live with a complete stranger that just so happens to be my father. I didn't want to do either, I just wanted things to go back to how they were, but that couldn't happen. The world doesn't work like that. I chose the devil I didn't know, because I believed that nothing could be worse than the devil I did know. I was right, coming to live here has been really great. Different, but great. I still miss my parents every single day, but at the same time, I'm loving this new freedom. I was always under constanst pressure to be the best at everything, and now, even though Charlie has stupid rules about when to contact him, I'm still left with the feeling of freedom.

My life isn't just school, after-school lessons, and then home anymore. I have time for friends, and I don't have anyone telling me that I'm slacking, even if I am the top of the class.

Don't get me wrong, I love my parents so, so much, and I'll always cherish and be grateful over the fact that they took me in and loved me, but I can't help wondering what my life would've been like if my biological mother hadn't of taken me away from this town.

I turn my thoughts back to Jasper, he so clearly wants Alice, but somethings holding him back. My only question is; what could be so complicated to hold him back?

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**AN; Thank you all for reviewing, alerting and favouriting :)**


	22. Chapter 22

I walk into art with Alice. She's rambling on about how great Jasper is, and is repeating word for word their conversation yesterday. It almost makes me wish I'd never got them talking.

"Alice!" I blurt out in the middle of her detailed description of the way he talks. "I know, I _was_ there, remember?"

Her smile turns sheepish, which makes me smile as well. "I'm sorry, I'm just so excited! He's so great, and he knew my name! My name!" And she's off again. I decide to just let her talk and get it out of her system. I am quickly learning that there is no stopping Alice.

I guide Alice to a desk set up with three chairs and pick the middle one. She sits to my right, still animatedly blabbering. I keep one eye on the door, waiting for Edward to come in.

When he does, he looks straight at me, then at the empty chair next to me. He walks straight past it and ends up at the desk as far from me as possible.

Um, ok?

Could I have been more obvious that I want him to sit next to me? Normally Alice and I will sit at a two person desk at the back of the class, so I thought that I was pretty much shouting it from the roof tops for him to come join us.

I don't get this Edward Cullen boy. He is perpetually hot and cold—one minute shy and stuttering, the next off on a rant about something. He invites me to his place and then completely ignores me. Maybe I smell?

I cut off Alice again, my patience used up with my good mood. "Alice, calm down," I say.

"Why?" Her forehead crinkles up as she looks at me. "Why are we sitting here?"

I ignore her question. "Just don't get too attached to Jasper. I talked to him earlier and he didn't seem half as enthusiastic about yesterday as you are. Be careful with him," I warn.

Her face falls, and I immediately feel shitty. I know that I'm taking my own rejection out on her, but I can't find it in myself to take it back. Besides, it's not like I lied.

"I think he's just got a lot going on at the moment, and I'm not sure if he can give you the time you need," I say, trying to lessen the blow.

"Did he tell you to say that? Can't he even man up and say it to my face?" She demands.

"No, no. This is all me. I know that he really likes you, but he keeps saying things are complicated, so I just don't want you to get your hopes up."

"Oh," she says.

She's quiet for the rest of the class and I find that I miss her chatter. I should've just kept my mouth shut.

…

At lunch, Edward doesn't even look at me as he walks past to join the other Beautiful Ones. I try to ignore him too, and focus on the mundane story Mike is subjecting us to, but I keep stealing glances over my shoulder to see Edward. He doesn't once look at me, though I'm sure that he can feel my stare. I console myself with the fact that I can corner him in Biology.

Just then, I hear Angela start saying that Justin Beiber is so great, and I know that my attention is needed elsewhere.

I catch Angela's gaze, and subtly shake my head at her. From what I'd noticed about Ben, he is as quiet as Angela normally is. She is on the complete wrong page when it comes to getting his attention. I see a little golden cross hanging out of the top of his shirt, and know I've found a good conversation starter for them.

"Hey, Angela," I say. "What's that article you're writing for the school paper?"

She looks up at me, apparently caught off guard but answers anyway. "It's an argumentative essay saying that Lady Gaga should be the next Pope."

"Bo-ring," Mike calls out, but Ben is now looking at Angela with one eyebrow raised.

"How on earth could you argue that?" He asks, a kind smile on his face, instead of any anger. I am glad that he isn't a fanatic, otherwise this could've gone pear shaped pretty quickly.

Angela and Ben spend the rest of the lunch hour discussing the absurdity of Lady Gaga becoming the next Pope.

I'm bouncing in my seat, waiting to talk to Edward, but I decide to smooth things over with Alice first. She'd barely eaten anything, and she is looking very dejected.

"I'm sorry," I say quietly so that no one else can hear.

"Don't be, you're right," she murmurs. Her head is down, making her hair fall across her face.

"No, I'm not," I respond firmly. "I was just angry that Edward ignored me, so I took it out on you. Jasper's really into you, it's just complicated, is all."

She sighs, "It always is. So, what's this about you and Edward?"

She's back to her normal chipper self. Her voice is an octave higher and her eyes are sparkling.

"There is no me and Edward," I respond, as dejected as she had just been.

"But you want there to be?"

I shrug. The bell rings, so I pick up my bag and sling it over my shoulder as I reply. "I don't know anymore. I thought I might, but it doesn't matter, looks like he couldn't care less about me."

She slaps me softly on the arm. "Don't be like that. I'm sure he's already madly in love with you."

I laugh lightly. "What's not to love?"

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**AN; Cheers for the reviews, alerts and favs :)**


	23. Chapter 23

My stomach is doing flip flops as I sit next to Edward for Biology. I'm nervous. I've never done anything like this before. I've never liked anyone enough to care whether they ignored me or not.

But, Edward…

Edward is different. I've known him for only a few days, and yet I already care about him. I hadn't realised how much until he started ignoring me today.

"Hey," I say, pulling out my books.

"Hey," he repeats, his normally melodic voice toneless and flat.

"What's up?"

His reply is to shrug without looking at me.

I shuffle around the books on my desk to keep myself from slapping him silly.

"I can't come over after school today, something came up," I lie. If he didn't want me to come, then I wasn't going to push myself onto him.

Something flashes in his eyes, gone too fast for me to decipher, but all he says is, "Okay."

Not even a 'some other time, maybe?'

My barely-there control snaps at his I-couldn't-care-less response. "What the hell is wrong with you!" I almost scream. A few heads turn our way but the teacher drones on with his lesson.

He finally looks at me then, his green eyes alight. Our eyes are locked and I can feel the electricity racing between us. For a moment I think that we're either going to attack each other or ravish each other, but then the fire drains from him. I can see his body slowly slump, the tension leaking away from his muscles and the light from his eyes.

"It's complicated," he finally says.

Well the fight hasn't left me. "What the hell is it with you and Jasper?" I ask hotly.

The fire's back. "What did he tell you?" He demands. His fists are clenched and his jaw his tight.

"Nothing," I say, taken aback. Wasn't I the one with the right to be furious? "He just said the same thing to me about Alice. Is it some sort of rule that shit has to be complicated to be in your oh-so-exclusive group?"

He gives a light laugh that I can tell he doesn't really feel. "Friends? No. Family, yes," he says in a hushed voice.

Rosalie's comment calling Coach Cullen 'mum' comes back to me, but I'm still confused. "Huh?" is my eloquent response.

"My parent's adopted Jazz and Rose, and they're really strict about us dating," he explains.

My hopes soar when he says 'dating.' If he's pushing me away because he wants to be more than friends with me, then that's something I can work with. But I'm still confused.

"Doesn't Rose go out with Emmett, though?" I ask.

He nods. "But that's different. She's older than me and Jazz, and our family has known Emmett our entire lives."

I'm still just as confused. I guess they weren't joking when they said it's complicated.

"But friends, right?" I ask. "You can have friends, can't you?"

He nods again, a bit warier this time.

"So can't we be friends?"

"Ah… y-yes," he says.

"Good. So, we still on for later?"

He nods. "Car park, after school?"

It's my turn to nod this time.

Friends. Can I be just friends with this gorgeous specimen of a man? Even just thinking about his strong jaw makes me want to lick it. I still have my suspicions about his 'family' but I can bide my time.

I want him. I want this boy with the mysterious family and complications. I have a feeling that my time at Forks High is about to get interesting.

* * *

**:)**


	24. Chapter 24

I'm anxious all through PE, and I get more than a few strange glances from the other people in class. I think it's because I'm bouncing on my toes a lot and completely lack the ability to stay still. It's easy to ignore them though.

Rosalie and Emmett are less easy to ignore. I'm working in their group again today for acrobatics. They spend almost the entire hour staring at me like they were trying to figure me out.

The class passes dismally slow.

I rush through a shower so that I don't scare Edward off with my BO, but I keep my hair dry.

I have to stop myself from running to my truck, but once I get there, I'm left disappointed. Through the crowd of students rushing to leave the parking lot, I can't see Edward. I'm standing on my tip toes to see over the heads for Edward's tell-tale messy bronze hair.

The car park empties and I still don't see him. Soon, there's only me standing by my red truck and another silver car over the other side of the space.

Ten minutes later my grin is gone and I'm ready to leave. Just as I'm hopping into the cab of my truck, I see him striding across the lot towards me.

He calls out to me, so I hop back out, trying to suppress my growing smile.

"Sorry I'm late," he says. He runs his hand through his tangled head of hair, and I can't help the smile that forms on my face. "Had to sort out family stuff. So, did you want to follow me?"

I'm glad that his nervousness seems to have taken a back seat, but I'm still wary of its return. "Sure," I say.

I wait for him to get to his car and pull out before I follow. I trail him as he appears to leave town, turning down a windy road that I haven't been down yet. He's driving incredibly fast, and I fear that he's hoping my truck won't be able to handle it, making me unable to go to his place.

Just as I think that he's well and truly lost me, I turn a corner and see his car turning down an almost invisible driveway. It's long and narrow, with trees brushing my windows as I drive past.

His house is… a mansion. That's the only way I can describe it.

My door is pulled open by Edward as soon as I park, and I'm astounded at the speed he's gotten over to me after parking his own car.

When I hop out, I see straight away that his nervousness is back. "So… um, welcome to my home…" He gestures to the blindingly white castle behind him, and I try to hide my smirk.

I follow him through the doorway as he asks, "Do you want something to eat or drink?"

I can only shake my head as I'm flabbergasted by the openness and cleanliness of the house.

"Okay, so my games are in my room…" he says, shoving one hand into his pocket as the other runs through his hair.

I nod in response and gesture for him to show the way.

I'm the nervous one now. This will be the first time I've been in a boy's room. Of course it's not like we'll be doing anything that normally comes with that at this age, but still, it's exciting and new for me.

I try and settle my nerves and trail behind Edward.

* * *

**AN; So... not the best chapter, but I'm tired lol. Next up: Edward's room! :)**


	25. Chapter 25

Edward's room is... well, it's a damn dream come true. The walls are a stark white, almost painfully bright. The carpet is a beautiful shade of gold that matches his bed spread. His bed is this giant elaborate four poster thing, something more suited to a fairy-tale than a teenage boy's room. Covering one wall are rows and rows of shelves, completely covered with books.

Along the wall facing the bed is a huge flat screen, much bigger than the one in Charlie's living room.

Next to the bed... Wow. Just wow. I can't even begin to describe the sight before me. The only thought running through my head is 'why?'

_Why would a seventeen year old boy need all that?_

There are three computer screens set up on a huge dark oak desk. I can see two monitors peeking out from underneath it, and a laptop set aside from the key boards.

What. The. Fuck?

I stare in shock at my surroundings, feeling as though I'd stepped into an alternate universe. This is the bedroom I'd expect a forty year old single businessman that has a housekeeper to have. Not Edward.

Speaking of Edward, he's standing behind me, leaning against the doorframe. I turn to look at him, and find his previously nervous expression has changed into something decidedly smugger—most probably from the expression of pure amazement on my face no doubt.

"It all makes sense now..." I muse, looking at the handsome boy across from me.

The nervous look is back as he hesitantly replies, "What makes sense now?"

"The stand-off attitude," I say. "I'd suspected that you were rich, but this—" I extend my arms out around me and gesture to the elaborate room. "This is on a whole other level. With money like this at your fingertips, it'd be impossible for you to not be a snob."

It seems very reasonable to me. In fact, in this town-with all of the stereotypes—it makes perfect sense for this perfect, rich family to be the snobs.

But all that leaves me as I see Edward's crestfallen face. He looks like I've just kicked him in the neck. Twice.

I step closer to him, my hand reaching out to hover over his shoulder. I want to make him feel better, but I don't know how.

"Edward, I'm sorry," I say. "That was rude of me to say. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions about you."

He looks up at me through his lashes, an adorable gesture that makes him seem vulnerable.

"I don't mean to be a snob," he says so quietly that I almost don't hear him.

"Then why are you so reclusive?" I ask.

"It's... it's complicated," he says.

I want to ask, but refrain myself. It was his business, and if he wanted to tell me, then he would. Seeing this side of him, the troubled vulnerable boy, made my heart ache. I could wait for him to open up to me. I have a feeling that maybe if we keep spending time together, that it won't be long until I'd do anything for this boy.

* * *

**AN; Thank you to everyone! For everything :)**


	26. Chapter 26

The awkwardness passes as we start playing MW3.

He sets up a game so that it's just us facing each other in a medium sized arena. He chooses one that I know well since it's from MW2 as well. I'm glad because I know good places to hide and wait for him to walk past.

As long as he doesn't screen cheat, then I'm pretty sure I'll win.

That is until we start the first match.

He kills me in two seconds flat. I don't even know how it happened, since we start on different sides of the space, with many obstacles blocking our view of our avatars. The next round is more intense.

I manage to elude him long enough to get to a hiding spot up high. I select a sniper and use the scope to find him.

He's crouching behind a barrel apparently camping, which is what I usually do. I line it up and take the head shot.

We spend the next hour or so playing, and I find that we're pretty evenly matched. The longer we play, the more we both relax. We start shouting things at each when one of us loses, but it's all in good faith.

By the time we've both had enough, we're sprawled across his bed, controllers hanging off the edge. We're both laughing at a complete fluke shot I'd taken. In the game we'd been standing inches apart without knowing it since there was a wall between us. I'd accidently fired into the wall and had killed him.

"Better graphics, huh?" I say, still laughing.

"That almost never happens," he responds. He rolls onto his side so that he's facing me.

I smile. "Sure, sure."

He chuckles and lightly punches my arm. "But, seriously, did you like it?"

I turn onto my side, mirroring his position. I pull up my arm to rest my head on my hand. "Surprisingly, I did. But I think that has more to do with the company," I whisper, unable to get the words out in full volume. I panic for a second, thinking that he'll go weird on me again, but I relax when he smiles at me. It's this breath taking crooked grin that does me in.

I only just now realise how close to each other we are.

His arm is resting between our bodies and if I shifted forward a millimeter his hand would be brushing my breast. From this close I can see just how green his eyes really are, and that they are a few golden flecks in them that I'd never noticed before.

He looks like he wants to close the small distance between us and I know that I want him to. But then I remember that everything is complicated for him, and I don't think I can get closer to him without knowing exactly what I'm in for.

I break the moment by sitting up. I push the hair from my face and hurriedly search for something to say.

"Uh… do you have any cough lozenges? I think I'm getting a cold," I blurt out, and then immediately want to hit myself. Really? That's what I come up with? That I think I'm carrying a virus? Great.

He sits up and looks around him like he's not sure what just happened. "Yeah, sure. They're in the top drawer next to the bed." He points to the bedside table while getting up. "I'll go get you some water."

He quickly leaves the room.

I go to the table and open the drawer. Inside I find the lozenges, but what catches my attention are the four cell phones lying underneath them.

Now, I had a drawer at home filled with old or broken cell phones, but these looked brand new—all the same sleek black style.

What the hell?

Why did Edward have four brand new cell phones?

I quickly shut the drawer as I hear Edward coming down the hall. I pop a lozenge in my mouth and sit back on the bed.

Edward enters the room and hands me the glass of water before sitting down next to me, his long legs stretched out next to mine.

"So, tell me about yourself," I say.

* * *

**AN; Your reviews crack me up in a good way :) please keep 'em coming. A lot of you are confused about what's up with his family... keep guessing, I love them, but all will be revealed in good time haha **


	27. Chapter 27

Edward looks at me like he's trying to figure me out, so I paste an innocent look on my face and turn to him.

"Did you grow up in Forks?" I ask. Hopefully it seems like I'm just trying to get to know him better and not pry into his secrets.

He shakes his head and relaxes a tad. "No, we moved here two years ago from Alaska."

"Alaska, huh? Cool. So, you into any sports?" I ask. I interrogate him for about an hour or so under the guise of getting to know him better. Sometimes I talk about myself, the little inconsequential things.

I can see that he's relaxing, letting his guard down, because I haven't asked him anything all that important—just little things, like favourite colours, and hobbies.

"So what do you do in your spare time?"

I'm unprepared at the dark burst of laughter that escapes him. "_What_ spare time?" He asks sarcastically, before he freezes and that nervous look is back.

I decide to let it go, because now I know something that I wasn't supposed to. It's not much, but it's enough to satisfy my curiosity for now.

"Why'd you move here?" He asks in an obvious attempt to change the subject.

"It's complicated," I answer. I can't help it that I say it dryly.

He gives me a look like he thinks I'm being a dick, but is too polite to say so. "I guess I deserved that."

I give him a half-hearted smile. "You did, but it's still true," I say. I feel a bit guilty about trying to pry into things he doesn't want me to, so I decide to offer him an explanation. Nothing sarcastic, like the things I've told people at the school, but the truth.

"I was adopted," I murmur quietly.

He looks at me like he doesn't believe me. He opens his mouth to say something but I cut him off.

"Charlie is my biological father, but my biological mother left him when she got pregnant, and then gave me up for adoption without telling him I even existed." It's hard talking about this, about how unwanted I was. A mother is supposed to love and protect her child, not throw them away like they're worthless. I can feel my eyes watering and Edward's warm hand starts rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"I was adopted by a lovely couple. They were Korean, which is why I have a funny accent. I learnt English from them. When I was little I had a full on Korean accent, but then I started going to school and it changed into this weird thing I have now." I laugh at myself, though I found nothing funny in the situation. I was always so self-conscious because I sounded different, but then one day, I just stopped giving a shit. I ignored the teasing, and eventually it stopped.

Edward's hand is still petting me when he gently asks, "What happened to them?"

I shouldn't be surprised that he'd figured out that something had happened to them, but I am. "There was a fire one night. I wasn't there, but they were. They didn't make it out."

It's the first time that I've spoken the words since it happened, hell, it's the first time I've let myself think about it. Unsurprisingly, I break down into sobs—great chest heaving snot dripping face screwed up sobs. I must look like absolute crap, but Edward pulls me into his arms, quietly murmuring soothing words. His low melodic voice on its own is soothing enough, and it becomes more apparent when he starts humming. I don't recognise the tune, but its soft and beautiful.

When the tune comes to an end, I find that I've stopped crying, and I'm staring at Edward, whose still holding me.

There's more to the story, but I think I've traumatised Edward enough with my crying. I pull myself from his grasp, and straighten my dishevelled clothing. "I should get going," I say, checking an imaginary watch on my wrist. "Charlie will be wondering where I am." That's a bit of an understatement. He's probably furious.

* * *

**AN; I love the guesses. Most of you are looking at nefarious explanations lol, I find that funny. Just to reiterate what's in the description, this is an All Human story so Edward and his family aren't vampires. Bang! 100 reviews, thank you all so much :) I didn't really think anyone would actually like this little story. **


	28. Chapter 28

Charlie is furious when I get back. He's standing just inside the doorway and is shouting at me before I've even walked in.

I consider turning around and walking back out, but I know that it really is my own fault.

I turn to face him, steeling myself for his angry words, but his expression changes into one of shock as he looks at my face. His voice trails off.

"You've been crying," he states.

I shrug, not really wanting to get into it with him.

"Are you okay now?" He asks. He looks like he really does care, but at the same time relieved that I'm not still balling my eyes out.

I nod in reply.

"Good," he responds gruffly. "Next time just send me a text if you're going out after school."

I nod again and move to make my way past him, but something stops me as I reach the stairs. "Charlie?" I say, my voice hesitant.

He grunts so I take that as my queue to go on.

"What was she like?" I'd never been interested about my mother. I'd always believed that if she didn't care enough about me to stick around, then I shouldn't care enough about her to know anything about her. But after today with Edward, I'm curious about this woman that gave me up and took me away from Charlie.

His face transforms into something that's a bizarre mixture of happy and angry. After a few moments of silence, he answers me. "She was like sunshine, and summer, and a moonlit walk on the beach."

"Oh," I say and then continue on my way to my room.

It isn't hard to tell that Charlie is still in love with her. That wasn't what I wanted to hear though. I want him to tell me that she was horrible, that she wasn't worth knowing, not that she was all things great.

If she was such a lovely person, then why didn't she keep me? Why wasn't I good enough for her all those years ago?

And then I remember. I'm _not _good. I'm a bad person, a selfish, unthinking murderer.

What I didn't tell Edward about that night is that I killed my parents.

* * *

**AN; Sorry for not posting anything yesterday, I was busy. Thoughts? :)**


	29. Chapter 29

The next day is weird. Straightaway I can tell that Rosalie, Jasper and Edward aren't there. The students are a bit more relaxed, freer, which means that they're being ridiculously silly.

I find Angela and Alice before the first bell rings. "Hey there, girlfriend!" Alice squeals.

I stop about ten feet from her and arch an eyebrow.

"Never say that again?" She asks, looking pretty unsure as to why she'd said it in the first place.

In answer I continue on my way towards them.

"How did it go yesterday?" Angela asks, shooting Alice a look that I can't identify.

I decide to play it cool. "How did what go…?"

Alice smacks my arm, and it takes all my control to not hit her back twice as hard. "Edward! Silly," she squeaks.

"Oh, that…" I say, shrugging my shoulders. "S'alright."

They raise their eyebrows but the bell rings, saving me from having to tell them that I balled my eyes out like a little bitch.

I walk with Angela to homeroom, listening to her ramble on and on about Ben.

…

It's my second class of the day, and I still don't know what it is. For once, the teacher actually addresses us, instead of writing shit on the board and just expecting us to copy it down.

Once we're all seated, he turns and faces us and for the first time, I get a look at his face.

It's nothing note-worthy, in fact, I'm quite disappointed. I was hoping for some weird facial thing to explain why he never faces the class. But apart from the fact that his face is suffocated by a beard that looks like it's one step away from getting up and moving, he looks pretty normal.

"Class, over the next two weeks, we'll be doing an assignment," he says quietly. The class groans collectively. "You'll be given a global or national company or organization, and you'll have to create a presentation about it." While he's talking, he's going down each aisle handing out a piece of paper. When he gets to me, I look at it, quickly scanning the questions. Most of them are pretty simple; who founded the corporation, what does it do, what are the negative and positive effects of the corporation.

I'm actually quite excited about it. I like doing research like this, I just wish that the questions demanded that I have to dig deeper.

The teacher passes around a hat and each student pulls a small piece of paper from it. When it gets to me, I pull one out and read the handwritten note before passing it on.

_EM Manufacturing Limited_

I have to read the name once, twice, three times before I can respond. "Like hell!" I burst, my voice rising above the hushed din of the class. Everyone turns to look at me.

"Is there a problem?" The teacher, whose name I have yet to learn, asks.

"There's a problem alright!" My voice is still too loud, but all my control is being used to stop myself from swearing at the moron that put this in the hat.

I hold up the paper as I speak. "There's no way in hell I'm doing this company! They manufacture weapons." Now I'm not a hippy or anything, but I despise a company that makes it money solely from war. I mean how low do you have to be to wake up one morning and think, 'you know what? I think I'm going to make and sell bombs today!'

The teacher gets look at the paper I'm holding, and smiles. "There's a lot more to that company than selling weapons."

"Like what?" I demand.

"Hopefully by the end of this assignment, you'll be able to tell me," he says before moving away.

I sign in resignation. The rest of my day is pretty shit after that. Without Jasper to complain to in this class, and Edward to talk to in Biology, I'm left being pretty bored. Though, without Rosalie there in gym, Emmett is friendlier, and I now know that he's essentially just a big child, and can make me roll on the floor laughing.

When I get to Charlie's after school, I sit down at my laptop and pull out the assignment sheet. I hope that if I get through it quickly, then I won't have to think about it later on.

I type _EM Manufacturing Limited_ into the search engine, and am beyond surprised at what comes up.

* * *

**AN; sorry for the delay! I've been to engrossed in reading a story, instead of writing my own :P**


	30. Chapter 30

Pages and pages of tabloid sites pop up.

_Who is Edith Mackenna?_

_Elusive Mackenna evades us again._

_Cash reward for a photo of Edith Mackenna!_

Title after title, all bemoaning the fact that no one has seen the CEO of the company. I don't understand what the big fuss is about. Who cares who owns the bloody thing?

I keep scrolling through the pages, and when I'm on the sixteenth, I finally get to the Wikipedia site. By now, I'm tired of working, so I open the page and then minimize it. I spend the rest of my night watching videos of Jimmy Carr.

The offensive asshole can always crack me up.

The next morning, I'm running late for school, but as soon as I step into my homeroom class, I know that Edward and his family aren't back today. Even though none of them are in this class, the whole atmosphere is more silly than usual. It's like the mere presence of the Beautiful One's made the school more subdued and sophisticated—well… as sophisticated as a high school can get.

I find that I'm missing them a lot more than I should be.

The day passes with nothing significant happening.

Angela spends the whole lunch break with Ben. Instead of giggles and stupid comments, they hold a solid conversation, and I catch Ben giving her a few pleasantly surprised looks at her intellect.

I'm happy for Angela, but I can't help feeling a little empty.

I've never had that—never had a first crush, or even a real first kiss. I've had sex, dirty sex that's hardly worth remembering, but I've never been kissed.

I've never had butterflies when a boy looks at me.

I want that with Edward. I know I do, I can admit it to myself, at least. But Edward's made it pretty clear that things are 'too complicated' right now, whatever that means.

As I enter gym, I'm greeted with Emmett's booming voice. "Hey, midget!" He bellows, causing a few heads to turn his way. I can't help the blush that creeps over me, which causes Emmett to grin triumphantly. He'd started calling me midget yesterday, and it seems to have stuck.

"Hey fuckface," I reply. The teacher glares at me but I don't care.

Emmett laughs.

We quieten as the teacher gives us the instructions for today.

"Partner up and practice the aerial moves from the paper."

Me and Emmett pair up and without warning, he throws me in the air. I tuck into a summersault and pray that he'll catch me.

My breath leaves me in a rush as I make impact with his crazy huge arms. "Nice flip, midget."

"Shut up," I say, wiggling out of his hold. "A little warning next time, huh?"

In answer, he grips my waist and hauls me up. I push myself up until I can get my feet on his shoulders. I stand up.

_Please don't start running around like a fuckwit…_

He grips my feet.

"Let go of my left foot," I instruct. He does, and I stretch it out behind me in a move I've seen done countless of times in cheerleading movies.

By now, I'm shitting myself, but moving as if we'd practiced it, he lifts me off and I flip down until I'm standing on in front of him.

"Not bad, midget," he grins, actually ruffling my hair. The asshole.

I'm grinning when I leave class. In everything Emmet said to me, he always said midget. Instead of getting annoyed, I found it funny. It was hard to be around him and not laugh.

When I get to Charlie's, I see that his cruiser's not there, but in its place is a silver Volvo.

* * *

**AN; Sorry, sorry sorry! I had no internet :(**


	31. Chapter 31

"Do you want something to drink? Water? Juice? Orange… Apple, grape…? Milk or soda?" I'm rambling and I can't stop.

Edward chuckles darkly, looking so at home lounging in Charlie's chair in the kitchen, while I'm awkwardly hovering on the other side. "Water's good," he says, his voice all silk and honey.

I scramble to the fridge and grab two bottles of water. While my head is stuck in the coolness, my senses return to me. This is _my _house, dammit! He shouldn't be making me this nervous. I'm a strong, independent woman!

I stride back to him and slip in my seat, passing him one of the bottles.

"Thanks."

"No problem…"

It's silent as we each take a long gulp of water, clearly trying to prolong the talking part of this visit.

"So… What can I do for you?" I ask. I'm sick of this tip toeing game we're both playing.

He runs his hand through his already tangled hair. "Well… I was wondering…"

His voice trails off so I raise my eyebrows at him, a silent demand to go on.

"I was wondering if you like to get some dinner with me tomorrow night," he says, all in one breath like he can't wait to get the words out.

"Like—on a date?" I clarify, not yet willing to get my hopes up.

He nods, a little too fast to be normal. "Yup! A date. Exactly!"

I can't help but laugh a little at the way he's being. "I'd love to." Did that sound a little too eager? Oh, well. I don't care.

"Good."

He gives me his number, and I wonder which one of the numerous phones it's for.

Shortly after he leaves, my phone vibrates. It doesn't stop, so I pick it up, surprised to see that Alice is calling me.

"Hello?" I ask hesitantly.

"Did he ask yet!" She screeches into my ear.

I hastily pull the phone away from my ear until I can't hear the high pitched buzz blasting from it. When I decipher what she says, I decide to play with her a little—retribution for my bruised ear drums and all that.

"Who?" I ask, my voice too innocent. "Ask me what?"

"_What?_" She exclaims. "He left like an hour ago!"

I laugh. "Chill, he invited me to dinner tomorrow."

"You bitch. I don't feel so bad about this, now."

"About what?" I ask warily, but it's too late, she's already hung up. About two seconds later, there's a knock at my front door.

I debate not answering but I know that she'll find another way in if I don't.

…

"So how'd you even know he was gonna ask?" I say as we climb the stairs to my room.

"Oh, I skipped last period, to go home, but as soon as I dump my ass on the couch, someone's knocking at the door," she says in a rush of breath. "Imagine my surprise when I opened and found Edward on the other side! I'd thought it was someone coming to get me for wagging. So, anyway… he was all stuttering and nervous and I thought he was going to start having a fit or something."

We make it to my room and I flop onto the bed, grinning a little at the way Alice delicately places herself in the centre.

"Then he just came out with, '_Do you think Bella will go out with me?'_" She puts on a masculine voice that's surprisingly similar to Edward's. "I had to tell him about a thousand times that you're hot for him before he actually looked like he was close to considering to think about believing it."

I gape at her. "You did not say that," I flatly state.

She just smiles a little quirk of her lips that's way too angelic to be sincere. "Clothes!" She exclaims, jumping up and rushing to my closet.

She throws it open and then gasps.

"You… you… you _have all of this and you're wearing that?"_ She throws an accusing glare at my attire. There's nothing wrong with my baggy jeans and my hoodie.

"I got this from H&M," I say.

"Yeah, and it'd be great if it wasn't three sizes too big," she deadpans.

I huff.

She starts riffling through my clothes and I can't find the energy to stop her. "I think I've died and gone to heaven," she murmurs.

I do admit that I have some nice stuff in there, but I've just never had the inclination to wear any of it—especially since I've been here. Most of the stuff is light and summery.

Eventually she pulls out some grey jeans and a white spaghetti strap top with lace detailing.

"I'm not wearing that," I state. I figure that if I sound stern enough she'll let me have my way.

No such luck.

"Like hell you're not. You'll look hot in it!"

"They don't fit me anymore," I say nervously.

She looks at the tags and then eyes up the jeans. She makes this soft humming noise. "You're probably right, these are my size."

I should probably be offended that she thinks I'm fatter than I am, but I've actually lost some weight since I bought those pants. I decide to not tell her that though.

"Oh well, they'll look extra hot on you!"

I sigh.

"Hey, have you thought about straightening your hair? I mean, your curls look great, but sometimes it's good to have a different look."

My heart clenches painfully but I try to brush it off. "I don't straighten my hair. It's really sensitive to heat so they get really bad split ends," I explain, hoping that it sounds legit.

"Oh, ok. Then just wear it down."

I reluctantly agree, and with that out of the way we settle down and start theorizing why Edward and his family have been away, and why he chose now to ask me out after being so all over the place beforehand. We don't come up with any solid theories, but we have fun with our guesses.

I know what I'll be asking Edward tomorrow night—if he doesn't decide to back out, that is.


	32. Chapter 32

The next day is weird. Edward and his family are back, and they're acting like they were never gone. What's weird is that no one questions it, the entire school just turns back to that less silly version of themselves.

Angela is as happy as can be, telling me all about what her and Ben got up to while Edward was over at my place. I'm just as happy for her, over my momentary jealousy of her love life. Calculus passes quickly, and I find myself excited to share my next class with Jasper.

Angela walks with me to the classroom. I interrupt her rambling with a question that I've been wondering for a while now. "So, uh… what is this class?"

Angela stares at me for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Bella!" She exclaims, exasperated. "You've been here for over a week now and you still don't know your classes?"

"Just this one," I reply with a smile.

"It's Government," she responds. "Totally boring so it's not surprising you don't know what it is."

My smile turns brighter as I slip into my seat next to Jasper while Angela finds hers next to Ben.

"You shouldn't smile like that, darlin'," Jasper says in greeting.

"And why's that, _sweetie_," I say mockingly.

His grin becomes decidedly devilish as he responds, "Because any who look upon it shall fall under your spell, and then you'll be stuck with legions of love struck boys following you around."

My bark of laughter is anything but ladylike. "Oh, how I've missed your questionable charm."

He grins as we turn our attention to the teacher who finally turns around again to address the class. He reminds us of when our assignments are due, and I want to smack my forehead when I remember my complete fail at my attempt of research the other night.

Jasper's hand flies up and we immediately have the entire classes attention. He jerks his head at the teacher, whose name I still don't know. The walking beard comes over to our table, and I swear the class lets out a collective groan as Jasper talks to him too quiet for them to overhear.

"I wasn't here when we got that assignment, I was wondering if I could choose my own company to research?" He asks quietly.

"I don't see why that would be a problem, as long as you choose something that another student isn't already doing," the teacher responds.

"I was thinking of doing _EM Manufacturing Limited._" My eyebrows rise of their own accord as I can't help but overhear his request.

"Ah, Bella here is currently assigned to that organization." He turns his attention to me. "If I remember correctly, you weren't entirely thrilled to have that particular company. If you wanted to switch with Jasper and choose your own, I don't have a problem with it." With that said, he turns and makes his way back to the front of the class.

Jasper looks at me beseechingly and I smile in return.

I suddenly have more than one question for him. Why on earth would he want to do that company? Just from my previous attempt at researching it, however pathetic it was, I knew that it'd be a difficult assignment to complete with this company. Especially since no one even seems to be really sure who the CEO is.

I ignore that thought for the moment and ask the other question burning in my mind. "Where've you been these last couple of days?"

"Can we switch?" He counters quickly.

"Sure… if you answer my question." Somehow I didn't think he would.

Surprisingly, he looks like he's about to answer for a few moments before shaking his head and turning to stare at the front of the class.

My curiosity shoots through the roof but I bite my tongue and wait for the class to finish.

* * *

**AN; And just like the Cullens, I'm back and gonna act like I never left and pick the story back up where I left off :)**


	33. Chapter 33

Jasper leaves about ten minutes before the class finishes, using some lame excuse that the teacher falls for. I arch one eyebrow at him as he leaves, but all he does is grin at me before sauntering down the hall.

I'm not surprised that Alice is waiting for me when the class lets out to walk with me to art, despite the fact that her previous class was on the other side of the school. "So what excuse did you use to get out of class for your not-so-secret meeting with the Southern Hunk, huh?" I ask.

She turns to me, her eyes wide and her lower lip in a pout. "Sir…" she practically whines, "Can I please leave early? The new student still doesn't quite know her way around yet." She grins at me, the blue in her inky hair making her features even more pixy-like.

"You used me to hook up with him?" I say incredulously.

"Sorry, but he text me telling me to meet up with him, and I didn't have much time to come up with anything better. Forgive me?" She uses the full force of her puppy dog eyes on me and I can't even pretend to be annoyed with her.

When she sees that she's forgiven, she smiles and starts talking, "Besides, we didn't hook up. He just wanted to talk."

"Is that what they're calling it these days," I smirk, but my minds not really on teasing Alice. I'm wondering which side of Edward I'll be getting today. Shy? Confident? Or maybe he won't even acknowledge me. I wonder which one is the real Edward, or if I've even met him yet.

* * *

**AN; It's short but I felt like it was a good place to end :)**


	34. Chapter 34

We enter the art room together and my eyes immediately seek out that identifying tousled bronze hair. I'm surprised when I see Edward casually sitting at one of the three seat front desks. If that's not an invitation then I don't know what is.

Alice squeals, making a few heads turn our way—Edward's included. His startling green eyes sweep over me and I feel a blush rise remembering my choice of attire today. Shredded jeans that were actually authentic instead of the ridiculously priced ones and a Led Zeppelin tee.

I feel shabby compared to his refined elegance. I shake myself out of my thoughts before I can get too carried away by letting my eyes devour him inch by inch.

I slowly make my way with Alice to his table, my eyes on his the entire way, searching for a sign that he doesn't want me there.

He doesn't shift a muscle except for the slight curve of his lips as I slide into the seat next to his, Alice doing the same on my other side.

We don't say anything as class starts and we each begin our sketches for the day. I begin a sketch of a tree but give up when I realise I've drawn a dead tree surrounded by a deserted wasteland. I feel Edward's eyes follow the movement when I scrunch the sheet of paper up and start again. Still, I don't say something until Alice not so gently rams her elbow into my side—her subtle way of telling me to talk to him.

I feel like we've switched roles. Suddenly I'm too nervous to speak. I don't know what to say. All I want to ask is where he's been for the past few days and why he showed up at my house yesterday. Surely if he'd been to see Alice he could've just gotten my number off her.

I surreptitiously sneak a glance at what Edward's sketching, surprised to see a pair of large eyes. "Wow," I say, wondering what the hell had come over me. "You're really good at drawing eyes. I can never get them to look realistic enough."

He chuckles lightly as Alice sighs dramatically on my other side. "It's all about the shading," he replies.

"Right."

I inwardly sigh. This isn't me. I don't talk just for the sake of talking and I sure as hell don't clam up. _Get your shit together woman!_

"So, when are you picking me up tonight?" I ask, since we hadn't actually hashed out the details yesterday. I feel a few of the nearby ears perk up, apparently on the scent of some fresh gossip.

"Is eight too late?" He asks and I have to force myself to not giggle a little at him rhyming. "I've got some… homework to catch up on."

I barely catch the hesitation, but decide to ignore it for the moment. "No, eight is great," I respond brightly.

I hear Alice giggling beside me, and I realise that I'd just rhymed as well.

"So, eight it is then," he says. His eyes were back on his work, but I could tell something else was distracting him.

"Great." Edward and his family are full of secrets. I only had two questions, and they were for me.

Did I have a right to know any of them? And if I did, how could I find them out?

* * *

**AN; I'll ask you the same two questions as Bella :)**


	35. Chapter 35

The rest of the day passes uneventfully. Mike and Eric spend the lunch break trying to get my attention but I easily ignore them. Biology with Edward is once again awkward, and I more than once find myself hoping that our date doesn't end up like that.

We spend the gym period learning how to fall without hurting ourselves. Rosalie and Emmett ignore me the entire lesson since we don't need to team up this time, and I can't help but miss that playful Emmett I'd gotten to know.

Before I know it, it's time for cheerleading practice. I'm less than enthusiastic. We're learning the dance steps to the routines. Dancing is not something I'm good at. I spend the entire two hours trying not to trip over my own feet, which causes me to bump into whoever the unfortunate soul is next to me. I get yelled at more during those two hours than I have in my entire life.

I'm having a quick shower when I overhear Lauren's nasal voice. "God, could she be any more clumsy? I think she bruised my toe with her gigantic feet."

I hear Tanya's grunted agreement, but don't feel at all insulted. I'm confident about the size of my feet, but I have to grind my teeth at her next words.

"If she keeps that up, it won't be long till Coach _has _to kick her off the squad."

"I don't even get what Edward sees in her," Tanya chimes in.

I'm sure that they're fully aware that I can hear them, but I still wait until they're gone to get out of the shower and go home.

Charlie's not home when I get there so I spend a couple hours doing my homework before cooking some dinner for him. I cover the food up and put it in the microwave for him to heat up when he gets off work.

I check the time and realise that I've only got ten minutes to get ready. I quickly chuck on what Alice picked out for me and put a touch of my favourite perfume behind my ears. I fluff my tangled hair and deem me ready to go.

Just as I'm sending a text to Charlie to let him know I'll be out, I hear the soft purr of Edward's car pull up the drive.

With a nervous glance at my reflection, I grab my purse and reach the door just as he knocks.

_You can do this, _I tell myself before opening the door.

_Holy. Shit. _There he stands wearing dark slacks and a green button up shirt that is just the right colour to make his eyes even more stunning and bring out the red in his hair. The sleeves were folded up to his elbows showing of his sculpted forearms.

_Don't drool… don't drool… for the love of God shut your mouth!_

"You look amazing, Bella," he says, his voice like velvet and honey as his eyes sweep over me.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," I reply, trying my very best to not appear as dazzled as I feel.

He gives me a light chuckle and a smirk before extending his arm to me. "Shall we?"

I can only nod.

I reach to slip my arm over his before remembering that I should probably shut the front door. "One sec," I say, spinning around and nearly slamming the door shut in my haste to turn back to Edward.

_Oh… dear… God…_

He's turned around with his back to me while he looks into the forest on the other side of the road.

Those pants of his are surely a gift from God with the way they encase his ass. I've never had much appreciation for a guy's ass before, but fuck me sideways if that isn't the most perfect behind in all of creation.

I stifle a whimper, but some small sound must escape me because Edward turns back around, once again extending his arm to me. I slip mine in his, wondering when he turned into such a gentleman. He walks me to his car and opens the door for me, even going so far as to help me into the seat and shutting the door once I'm settled.

I can't take my eyes off of him as he walks around the car to the driver's side.

I'm suddenly a lot more nervous about this date than I was earlier, but this time, a whole different type of nervous. How the hell am I going to keep myself from trying to jump his bones?

* * *

**AN; Heh ;) **


	36. Chapter 36

We're sitting in a cozy booth at the flashest restaurant Forks has to offer. The waitress is blatantly ogling Edward and I have to keep myself from either slapping her upside the head or from groping Edward.

I had no right to my possessiveness.

We've been served our drinks—two cokes—but the food order is taking a ridiculously long time and Edward and I have run out of things to talk about.

I take a long gulp of my drink while my mind scrambles to think of a new topic. This is ridiculous. Never before have both of us been so stilted with each other at the same time. Either we're free and easy, or only one of us is having a bout of awkwardness.

I scrutinize Edward and see that he is as uncomfortable as me. His hand is in his tousled hair, tugging at it incessantly, while his other hand taps out random beats on the table.

This is the first date I've ever been on and its going terribly. I smother a sigh. This isn't how I want it to be between us. I want that easy flow of conversation we had back. I feel like everyone in the restaurant is staring at us, watching and judging our every move. I open my mouth but the words get stuck in my throat from the awkwardness.

"What's taking the food so long?" I manage to say, only realizing after I've forced the words out how petulant I sound.

The low sound of Edward's chuckle rises a blush from me. "This isn't really your thing, is it?" He asks me.

"Not really," I murmur, having to duck my head to avoid his suddenly piercing gaze.

"Mine either," he says.

I feel my shoulders ease a bit at his admission. "Wanna get out of here?" I ask him, my legs already pushing my chair back.

"And go where?" He replies smoothly, but he's pushing away from the table as well.

"Well… I wouldn't mind a rematch of Call of Duty."

His smirk just about undoes me.

He pays for our drinks, earning a startled look from our waitress, and we pick up some take out on the way to his place.

When we get there, he leads me up the back way and literally sneaks up the stairs. I restrain myself to just one arched eyebrow in question. "My family's home, and if they see me taking you up to my room on the first date, I'll never hear the end of it," he whispers, a light pinkness creeping up to his cheeks that endears him to me even more.

We quietly make our way to his room and I flop down on his bed, digging in to the food. He shuts his door and joins me.

"So tell me about your parents," he says around a mouthful of food. "What were they like?"

If it was anyone but him, I'd reply with something generic and evasive, but I figure that if I want him to open up, I should be willing to as well.

"They were… focused," I say after thinking of the right word. "They knew what they wanted and always did their best to get it. My mum was a psychiatrist and my dad was a brain surgeon. They were good people, even if they weren't around much growing up. They always dedicated Sundays as family time."

"They sound nice," he says slowly, clearly urging me to tell him more.

I think for a bit, and have to choose my words very carefully. "They pushed me to be well rounded and the best at everything I do. If I wasn't first, or I didn't beat my last score in whatever I did, then it wasn't good enough. But they were kind about it. I always knew that it was because they wanted me to be the very best that I could be," I say.

"My parents are almost the complete opposite," he replies. He's finished with his meal and sets the trash aside. "They actually want me to slow down with the things I do and just enjoy life. But they still support me however they can."

I try to imagine my parents telling me that it's okay to only learn one instrument, or that I don't really need to know five languages, but I just can't manage it. That's not who they were.

"I'd do anything if it would bring them back," I whisper, but I know Edward hears me because his face softens.

"How'd they die—if you don't mind me asking? I mean I know you said they died in a fire, but how'd it start?" I search his green eyes for any nefarious reasons for his asking, but all I see is a genuine curiosity.

I sigh. This is it—the moment of truth. Should I tell him the truth, or lie? My earlier thought resurfaces, if I want him to open up, then I have to as well.

I just hope that he's not disgusted with what he finds.

"It was my fault," I whisper. My voice is hoarse and I clear it before continuing. "They always told me that my hair was beautiful. They hated that I would straighten it, but I thought having curly hair meant that I really wasn't a part of their family, since both of their hair was straight." I know how stupid that was now. I can't look at Edward so I stare at my fingers instead.

"We'd had an argument that night. It was a Friday and the kids in my year were having a party. I wanted to go, and be normal for once, but they wouldn't let me because I had a gymnastics meet the next morning."

I fiddle with the fuzzy blanket on his bed while I talk. "I waited until they were asleep, and then got ready. I snuck out to the party and had a horrible time. I didn't have any friends and I spent the whole time hiding out in a corner trying to work up the courage to talk to someone. When I got home, my street was filled with fire engines and all the neighbors were standing around. It took me a while to realize that my house was the centre of attention. I'd left my hair straightener on, and it caught fire."

Tears spill down my cheeks as I remember the fire marshal telling me the cause of the fire. I can still hear the sirens going off as if they were blaming me. I remember the feel of my neighbors apologetic hugs and thinking that I didn't deserve them. I remember being held back as I tried to rush into the still burning house. I remember wondering what that horrible keening sound was and realizing that it was me.

I'm brought out of my memories by a cool hand wiping the tears from my cheek. Edward's long fingers tilt my chin up, forcing me to look at him. I only now notice just how close he'd moved. "It wasn't your fault," he says in his smooth velvet voice.

I snort, not even bothering to counter him. I didn't need to. I know without a doubt that it was my fault—that my selfish actions had led to my parents' death.

Both of his hands come up to rest on either side of my face and he looks straight into my eyes. "It. Was. Not. Your. Fault," he says slowly, willing me to believe him.

I nod. Maybe one day I will believe him, but not now.

He looks at me like he wants to say more, but refrains himself. Instead, he gets up and puts on Call of Duty, bringing me a controller before stretching out on his bed next to me. I let him distract me for a while and it's only after I get a text from Charlie demanding to know where the hell I am, that I realize we've been playing for three hours and that it's after midnight.

Crap. I'd wasted the night, blabbing on about myself, instead of trying to find more out about him. With that thought in mind, I blurt out the first question that pops up.

"Why do you have four brand new cell phones in your night stand drawer?"

* * *

**AN; Well that's one mystery answered. More on the way :)**


	37. Chapter 37

_"Why do you have four brand new cells phones in your night stand drawer?"_

"How—how do you know that?" He asks. His eyes dart from me to the drawer in question, then back to me again.

"Last time I was here I saw them when I got the lozengers…" I say.

"Oh." His eye is twitching ever so slightly. "I have a lot of… family overseas… so I have different cell phones and sim cards so it's cheaper to call them," he explains, and if it wasn't for that twitching eye I might believe him.

I'm pretty sure that he's lying, but I decide to drop it. "Oh, okay. I was just wondering, cause I can hardly keep track of one, let alone four. I should get home, Charlie's furious with me."

He lets out an almost inaudible sigh, and I see the tension leave his shoulders.

"Right."

He sneaks me out the back and to his car. I wonder how he'll explain him leaving again to his family, but don't ask.

The ride home is silent, and I find myself regretting asking him.

"Well… I had fun tonight," he says nervously.

"Me too. Sorry for bailing on the restaurant," I say with a smile.

He chuckles quietly. "I had more fun playing video games with you, to be completely honest."

If only he was completely honest about everything.

"Well, good night," I say before slipping out of his car. When I get to the front door, I wonder if I was meant to give him the chance to kiss me, but when I look back, his car's already driving round the first corner to take him home.

I let myself in with a little prayer that Charlie isn't too hard on me.

…

**EPOV**

I hated lying to her. This person that I am, so full of secrets and complications… it's not who I want to be, but sadly, it's the only person I _can_ be in this world that I've chosen for myself.

Looking straight into her beautifully big, innocent eyes and lying to her was probably the hardest thing I've ever forced myself to do, especially after hearing her be completely truthful with me about her adoptive parents.

Hearing her story just made me want to pull her to me and engulf her in my arms. I wanted nothing more than to have held her while she cried, and convince her without a doubt that what she did was nothing more than an unfortunate accident. But I didn't.

It's so hard to keep her at arms-length when all I want to do is make her mine.

But the last girl I opened up to ended up betraying me and forced my family to move citys. After that I swore to them that I wouldn't get caught up with a girl until I'm at least twenty-one. After seeing what this dreary town of Forks had to offer, I'd thought that it'd be an easy promise to keep…

But no one could've predicted Bella Swan—least of all me.

* * *

**AN; Today is a National holiday in NZ, so no work today for me, which meant that it was time to get my party on last night, so that's why I didn't update yesterday, since I normally update before I go to bed. Soooo, to make up for that, I gave you just a lil peek into Edward's head. What'd ya think? :)**


	38. Chapter 38

The next day is pretty uneventful. I am used to the school now and how everything works. Edward is back to being friendly and open, even if he does make a point to keep the conversations light and about nothing all that important. Cheer practise is getting better as well. I look less uncoordinated when I do the dance steps and the tumbling is as second nature to me as breathing.

When I get home I decide to have another crack at the research paper for Government. With a dramatic and unnecessary sigh I type 'EM Manufacturing' into the search engine.

Once again I'm assaulted with page after page of tabloid sites. I scroll past them and find the one I'm looking for—good ol' Wikipedia.

_EM Manufacturing was founded in 2008 by the current CEO, Edith Mackenna. The company's primary function was designing bio-weaponry, however in more recent years it has focused more attention to genetic manipulation. _

_There is much attention focused on the CEO due to a New York Times article stating that the author of the article staked the company's main office hoping to conduct an interview with the CEO. Sandra Thompson, the journalist, was unable to gain an interview with the elusive Mackenna, nor was she able to even get a sighting of the CEO after spending a week watching the building. After the release of the article, many 'celebrity photographers' took it as a challenge to get a photo of the CEO. Five years later, and they are still unsuccessful. _

I am utterly bored, and equally disgusted. _EM Manufacturing _is even worse than I had thought. They didn't make bombs; they made weapons that were designed to potentially wipe out an entire race of people within a heart-beat. I'm about to exit the window when the picture of the front of the company's main office building catches my eye.

I've stared at it for a while trying to figure out what had made me pause when I see it—a flash of bronze poking out over the top of the black Mercedes parked in front on the building. I've only seen hair that colour once, and it belongs to a boy that has no business being at that building as far as I know.

So what was Edward doing there?

* * *

**AN; I'm moving places in a couple of days and there's lots to get done, so updating might be a bit erratic for the next week or so, and I might not have internet for a couple of days once I've moved in. Just warning you, so ya don't think I've abandoned the story again :)**

**So, judging from the reviews I get, some of you lovely readers are starting to make certain connections... I guess we'll all know in a few chapters if you're right :) Oh and 200+ reviews! You guys are amazing. I'm always surprised when I see I've got another one, I never really think anyone's gonna read my stories. So a great big thank you! And I'm sorry if I don't reply to the reviews to the last chapter, I'm a little run off my feet at the moment. Is that even a saying? I feel like I got it wrong, and oh look I'm rambling. Need some serious sleep. Cheers :)**


	39. Chapter 39

"So why'd you wanna switch research projects with me?" I ask Jasper the next day in our history class. Seeing a flash of Edward in that photo for _EM Manufacturing _had been bothering me all night. I'd come up with a few theories to explain his presence there, like he'd been doing a research project much like me and was there to hopefully get an interview, or that he was visiting someone that he knew worked there. If so, then I'm hoping maybe he could help me with mine.

It would explain why Jasper wanted to use _EM Manufacturing _for his own…

But I see that I might be wrong when a cautious look enters his previously devilish gaze. "I'm just interested in the company, is all," came his somewhat forced lazy reply.

I couldn't stop my mouth from falling open. "You're interested in a company that manufactures bio-weaponry?" Shock colours my voice. I seriously hope that he's interested in a bad way.

"What?" He asks back. His lips curve up on one side while his eyes hold curiosity, like he honestly couldn't believe why I'd be against it.

"It's… it's evil!" I sputter.

"You really should do some more research… it's not as—"

"I'm sick of you," Tanya interrupts loudly as she saunters over to our table, her hips swaying obnoxiously.

"Excuse me?" I respond, more annoyed over the fact that she barged in before I could get more information out of Jasper.

"Your little good girl act was cute at first, but now it's just annoying," she sneers.

I look around for the teacher, wondering why they're letting her out of her seat. I see that every single pair of eyes in the class is turned towards me, but no sign of the teacher. I look to Jasper, but he just motions his hand, like '_it's all yours.'_ Great.

"Oh, I'm _so_ sorry!" I gush, "What can I do to make it up to you?"

"Well, first off, you can get Jessica back on the—"

Her expression is priceless as her smugness quickly turns to embarrassment when she realizes that I'm being sarcastic.

"You listen here, you little bitch. Since you _obviously_ didn't get the message when you first got here, I'll repeat myself. This is _my _school. _I'm _at the top and you're _nothing. _And while I'm explaining things to you, let me just say one more thing. Edward. Is. Mine. I saw you at the restaurant with him the other night. Keep your hands _off him_." And with that, she turns and stalks back to her seat, tossing her hair as she goes.

"What if he can't keep his hands off of me?" I say loudly enough for her to hear from across the classroom, which incidentally is loud enough for everyone to hear. A few gasps echo around the room but I ignore them and watch for her reaction.

She doesn't disappoint. Her face turns redder than a tomato, and without saying anything, she packs her things and flees the room.

"Me-ow," Jasper says while imitating cat claws with his hand. My chuckle at that turns into full on laughter when Tanya walks meekly back into class in front of the teacher.

She glares at me when a few of the students snigger at her.

"Well that wasn't as good as I was expecting," Jasper whispers to me while the teacher tries to regain control of the class.

"Am I the only one that didn't see that coming?"

"Pretty much," he says with a laugh. "At lunch she spends the entire time shooting glares at you, and plotting things with her two Bimbo buddies. The whole school's been waiting for this all week."

"Are you serious?" I hadn't noticed anything. I mean, I knew she didn't like me, but I didn't realize that I had such an impact on her. "That's pretty sad when ya think about it."

"You're telling me," he responds. "Want me to put the word out on her? One word and she'll be a pariah," he taunts.

I laugh loudly enough to turn a few heads and earn another glare form Tanya. "Na, I can handle her," I say, unable to stop the tired sigh that escapes me.

I know I can handle her, I just didn't want to have to.


	40. Chapter 40

I'm graced with both Angela and Alice after class. As soon as they set their sights on me, the questions begin.

"Did you really punch Tanya in the face? I mean she deserves it—"

"What happened?"

"Want me to bash her? I will—"

"I heard that she saw you having sex with Edward in his car and that-"

"Did she really pull out some of your hair?"

When Alice actually starts to lift my hair up searching for a missing chunk I decide that I've had enough. "Give it a rest guys. You know none of that actually happened."

I can't help but notice that there seems to be a mob following us to our next class, trying to hear some gossip first hand apparently.

"Yeah…" Alice says dejectedly. "But it sure would be cool if it had happened."

I laugh at her sudden exuberance at the end.

I relay to them what happened in a loud voice, hoping that the eavesdroppers around me would spread the truth. I'm pretty sure that they won't but I figured that it was worth a try.

Alice and Angela still thought it was pretty kick-ass.

We part ways with Angela so that she can get to her next class, and Alice and I make our way to the three seat table where Edward is waiting for me. Like last time, I sit next to him with Alice on my other side.

"Sooooo," he says, drawing the word out dramatically.

I bite my lip, hoping that he doesn't take what happened the wrong way.

"I can't keep my hands off you, aye?"

I groan out loud. Of course. I'd been hoping that he'd heard one of the more ridiculous theories that didn't mention him at all, but with Jasper sitting right there, of course he would have told Edward exactly how it all went down.

"It seemed like a good thing to say at the time," I say slowly, but when I look into his so-very-green eyes I see that he's just having a laugh at my expense and not truly angry.

I let out a relieved breath. I wasn't aware of how much his opinion of me mattered until that moment when I thought I might have tarnished it.

His lips curve into that breath-taking lopsided grin of his. "From what Jazz said, it was the perfect thing to say… and kinda hot."

I let out a laugh. "Oh yeah? You like crazy-eyed possessive chicks?"

The laughter in his eyes dies down and he suddenly turns serious. "Your eyes could never be considered crazy. Beautiful, deep, expressive... but never crazy," he whispers so softly that I have to strain to make out his words.

When they do register, I have to fight down a shiver.

I'm so caught off guard by his comment that I blurt out the next thought that crosses my mind. "Do you know someone that works at _EM Manufacturing_?"

He turns startled eyes to me.

* * *

**AN; How bout we hear from Edward next time, yeah? Thanks for reading and reviewing. You guys rock :)**


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